Lt. Gov. Kevin Sullivan, who helped obtain a $150,000 state grant toward the wheelchair- and crutch-accessible playground, selected several students to help him with the ceremonial shoveling at Wednesday afternoon’s groundbreaking ceremony. Students, parents and town officials gathered alongside one of the existing playgrounds, where construction is slated to begin in the spring.

"We’re about to start a whole new part of this playground," Principal Bob Choiniere said, "and create a whole new opportunity for a lot of children."

Naomi Cohen, director of public/private partnerships for Boundless Playgrounds, called the new play area a place "where boys and girls with and without disabilities can have fun and learn and play together."

"Every kid, no matter what their challenges may be, wants to have fun," she said. "Unfortunately, lots of old-time playgrounds, if you have a wheelchair or crutches, are often really impossible to use."

In 1994, West Hartford residents Amy and Peter Barzach lost their 9-month-old son, Jonathan, to spinal muscular atrophy. After a bereavement counselor encouraged the Barzachs to do something in his memory, they remembered observing a little girl on a playground, unable to join her friends because of her physical limitations. They recruited 1,200 volunteers and built a 25,000-square-foot playground, which became the inspiration for the nonprofit National Center for Boundless Playgrounds.

First Selectman Ted Scheidel, who came out to help the Lake Garda School community celebrate, said he was pleased to see a play area accessible to all children.

"For our special friends who need a little help, this is going to be very nice," he said. "Lt. Gov. Sullivan has been very kind to our community through his years of public service. I know you’ll have a great time playing on it."

Doreen Daneault, who is an occupational therapist for all four Region 10 schools, said she and the physical therapist have been asked to join the playground meetings and share their insight. Currently, Daneault works with four children -- two with wheelchairs and two without -- whom she feels would greatly benefit from the new playground.

"I think it’s fantastic," she said. "There’s definitely a need for this type of playground."

There are currently 22 Boundless Playgrounds in Connecticut, including ones Bristol, Berlin, Simsbury and Waterbury, with at least four more in the works. Across the United States, there are 85, mostly in the eastern part of the country.

"By the time we’re done, there’s not going to be a kid in Connecticut who can’t have fun with another kid on a playground," Cohen said.