BALTIMORE -- Talia Stettner is a whirlwind, an Energizer bunny with boundless pep and the restless spirit to test its depth. For the autistic 8-year-old, the living room sofa is less a seat than a trampoline. There’s a hammock swing in the basement of her family’s home in Fulton and hiking trails nearby to route her vigor. But Talia’s favorite exercise venue is the playground at Schooley Mill Park, in Highland, Maryland, a recreation site recently renovated to fit the needs of the disabled.
One of four “inclusive” playgrounds in Howard County, Schooley Mill reopened in February, following a three-year upgrade of the 30-year-old facility to make it accessible to all. In 2021, renovations enhanced playgrounds at Savage Park, Centennial Park North and Blandair Regional Park for those with cognitive, sensory and communicative disabilities.
Schooley Mill Park is located 10 minutes from their home and is a plus for his daughter, Andy Stettner said.
