The clouds parted, the sun came out and beautiful blue skies greeted those attending the Thursday dedication of a new playground built with disabled children in mind at Glen Alla Park.

It was an event that children in the neighborhood have been anxiously begging for - to finally be allowed to go in and play on all that cool equipment.

 The city of Los Angeles and the Department of Recreation and Parks officially dedicated what is now one of the area's most expensive and beautiful playgrounds at Glen Alla Park. More than 30 people, including moms, nannies, kids of all ages and ,of course, the dignitaries, showed up to officially cut the blue ribbon for the newest "Shane's Inspiration" playground, which is built to provide access for disabled children to play and mingle with other children.

"There's a reason that the sun came out, we're all here and this is an inspirational moment, when we actually accomplish something ... for all young people to enjoy," said City Councilman Bill Rosendahl.

Barry A. Sanders, president of the Board of Commissioners of the Department of Recreation and Parks, described how the new playground can be fun and a learning experience for children with or without disabilties.

"Kids should play together, get to know each other and get to enjoy playing together," Sanders said.

A "Shane's Inspiration" playground provides an area to play with fully accessible, sensory-rich and physically challenging equipment for all types of children, according to its Web site.

Three school programs have been developed by the organization that utilize the playground as an outdoor classroom. Delivered to over 125 schools throughout the city, the program serves thousands of children of all abilities. One program called "Together, We Are Able" is presently used in California schools.

The new park was funded through the 1975 Quimby Act fund in which local developers pay fees or donate land to build parks within a 2-mile area of their projects. The Recreation and Parks Board allotted $2.3 million dollars for Glen Alla Park improvements in 2004. The playground and surrounding lawns, the tennis courts and paddleball courts have all been upgraded. More improvements are planned for next spring, including a new restroom. 

The new playground itself cost about $800,000 to $850,000. The park is only 4.8 acres, and the new play area increases the children's playground by about 5 percent. The project was designed under the leadership of Mike Shull, head of planning for Recreation and Parks.

The playground has a nautical theme with tall, mast like umbrellas covering a boat decorated with a huge proud pelican at the bow. Wheelchair accessible ramps lead up into the hull where you can find a rotating rain gauge, musical knobs to turn, slides, stairs and ropes to climb down to the rubber coated flooring at ground level. The rubber is recycled tires, colored and applied painstakingly by workers on their hands and knees over a week's time. Very blue and water-like, fish in schools swim by the ship. Mushroom toadstools track along the outside of a rocking lifeboat.

This is the 35^th playground of its type built by Shane's Inspiration since 1998.  They presently have 67 more such facilities in development all over the world, including Japan and Germany. The playgrounds can cost anywhere from  $100,000 to $1.5 million.

The playground may have been dedicated today, but it was unofficially christened by the children over Thanksgiving.

The project includes three massive concrete works of art designed by Tom Arie Donch of InterPlay Design in Vallejo, CA. They have created almost 500 sculptures for play environments in 21 states.

A black 20-foot, humpback whale sits in the giant sandpit and keeps the massive swimming turtle sculpture company. Beneath the sand there is a discovery pool for little fingers to explore.

Other wonderfully whimsical features of the park include a large rock abacus, a musical wind chime and rocking seahorses to ride.

Shane's Inspiration Director of Project Development quoted Margaret Mead to end the ceremony saying, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed people can change the world. It indeed is the only thing that ever has."

So, it's official. The park is open and ready for children to play!