Community sensory garden opens in Arnett neighborhood

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Kaboom community sensory garden in Rochester’s Arnett neighborhood opened on Monday.

It’s a play space designed to be safe and inclusive to all kids, especially kids with developmental and physical disabilities. Several community partners, including the University of Rochester and the community space 540WMain, are behind the project which came with some challenges.

“We had multiple delays due to the pandemic and also just learning,” said Calvin Eaton who is the CEO and founder of 540WMain. “Learning about coming together, about improving our communication around engagement and really making sure that when we create spaces like this in the community with nonprofits, with schools, that we’re really making the whole process accessible and really have the community and students and people that we want to serve at the center of the planning.”

The project was supported with a grant from the Kaboom Foundation. Its mission is to promote play space equity.