Families, teachers and young students at the Alyce Hatch Learning Center recently celebrated the grand opening of a brand-new playground designed for children of all abilities. The playground, made possible by two generous grants from PacificSource Community Solutions and Central Oregon Health Council, enhances outdoor learning and play for children with developmental delays and disabilities, fostering both joy and inclusion. The combined donation of $242,000 funded specialized equipment and adaptive spaces to provide a safe, accessible environment for all children at Alyce Hatch to explore, engage and grow together.
The Alyce Hatch Learning Center, a longstanding hub for early childhood special education in Central Oregon, has a rich legacy of supporting families and young children with special needs. Operated by the High Desert Education Service District (HDESD), the center has been an essential resource for more than 45 years, providing services like speech and language therapy, physical therapy, vision services, occupational therapy and autism support to an average of 300 children each year as part of a larger program serving even more students.
A Playground for All: The Heart of Inclusion
Play is critical to early childhood development, providing a foundation for social skills, problem-solving, physical fitness and cognitive growth. However, children with special needs often face barriers to accessing play environments that accommodate their unique needs. The new playground at Alyce Hatch has been carefully designed to break down these barriers. Features such as wheelchair-accessible ramps, sensory play panels, a surface spinner and wide pathways make it easy for all children to participate in outdoor play, regardless of their abilities.
“This playground goes beyond the traditional playground model,” said Jennie Willis. M.S., HDESD’s Assistant Director of Early InterventionI/Early Childhood Special Education. “It’s a space where children can explore and learn at their own pace, engage in sensory play, and develop motor and social skills in a welcoming environment.”
Generous Community Support Made It Happen
The grants from PacificSource and COHC, reflect the community’s commitment to sustaining the legacy of the Alyce Hatch Learning Center and its mission. Over the years, the center has enjoyed tremendous support from local foundations, businesses, and donors who understand the importance of providing high-quality, inclusive services to the area’s youngest residents.
This support is in line with the history of the Alyce Hatch Center, which was founded by community activists in the 1970s to meet the needs of children with disabilities in Central Oregon. In the years since, the center has evolved, moving to its current site on NW Juniper Avenue in Bend, expanding its facility, and eventually becoming a permanent part of HDESD’s Early Childhood Special Education programs.
“At PacificSource, we are deeply invested in improving the health and well-being of our communities. Sometimes, healthcare means visiting a doctor, and sometimes, it means ensuring every child has a safe place to play. We are proud to support the Alyce Hatch Center in creating an inclusive playground where every child feels valued and welcome, and we are grateful to the Central Oregon Health Council for matching our donation, helping make this vision a reality,” said Erin Fair Taylor, vice president of Medicaid Programs, PacificSource.
“Addressing upstream health factors, particularly in vulnerable and underserved communities, is a big focus of our work at the Central Oregon Health Council. Recreational spaces contribute to healthy communities, and we are delighted we were able to support the new playground at Alyce Hatch Learning Center to provide opportunities for children of differing abilities to enjoy all the playtime activities we want for every child,” said Ari Powell, COHC executive director.
Continuing a Legacy of Inclusive Education
The playground opening is another chapter in the center’s legacy, which began as a small preschool and grew to become the core provider of early intervention services for Central Oregon. Thanks to the foresight of its founders and the generosity of community partners, the Alyce Hatch Center now serves hundreds of children in the tri-county area, offering everything from speech and physical therapy to autism services and parent training.
The donation of the Alyce Hatch Center building and land to HDESD in 2021 ensured the center’s future, reinforcing its role as a central part of the region’s education landscape. The board’s decision to donate the facility allowed HDESD to expand its reach and impact, providing an even broader range of services to children and families across Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson counties.
A Playground of Possibilities
The new playground at the Alyce Hatch Learning Center represents far more than swings and slides. It embodies a community’s dedication to creating inclusive, accessible opportunities for all children and carrying forward the vision of Alyce Hatch’s founders. As the center continues to serve children with special needs, this playground will become a place where kids of all abilities can come together, share experiences, and celebrate each other’s growth.
For more information about the Alyce Hatch Learning Center and its programs, contact Hillary Seal at (541) 389-5437 or Char Theiss at char.theiss@hdesd.org. To support special education services for Central Oregon families, contact Dianna Hansen at the Central Oregon Disability Support Network at dianna@codsn.org or (541) 548-8559.