Aßlar-Berghausen, 26 October 2026.
Swinging, balancing, playing in the sand and meeting friends: the public playground on Haynstraße in Berghausen now offers more opportunities to enjoy all of these activities. The Town of Aßlar has worked with HUCK Seiltechnik GmbH to enhance the existing playground. Improved access, wayfinding aids and additional play opportunities are intended to enable more children with and without disabilities to use the playground together. Younger children and accompanying adults also benefit from the redesign.
The playground was presented at a small opening ceremony and an on-site press event on Monday, 26 October 2026, at 2:30 pm.
“A playground is far more than an area with play equipment. It is a place where children can make friends, try things out and be active together. It is important to us that as many people as possible can use and enjoy these places as a natural part of everyday life,” emphasise Mayor Christian Schwarz and Wolfgang Keiner, Managing Director of HUCK Seiltechnik GmbH.
Easier Access and Closer to the Action
Before the redesign, gravel surfaces and high entry points made much of the play equipment difficult to access. For people with limited mobility in particular, even reaching a swing or climbing structure could be a challenge. Clear wayfinding aids for people with visual impairments were lacking.
A central element of the redesign is therefore a low-barrier route created using the HUCK Inclusion Mat. It runs across the playground right up to the individual pieces of equipment, making it easier for children and accompanying adults with limited mobility to get closer to the play activity. Two-tone ropes and clearly visible guide ropes also help make routes and play areas easier to recognise.
New Play Opportunities for Younger and Older Children
Families have plenty to discover: a new balancing structure invites children to balance, rock and explore together. A sandpit with a rope surround and a shade sail, a mini carousel and a mini swing provide additional play opportunities, particularly for younger children.
Familiar play equipment has also been adapted. On the “Störtebeker” pirate ship, a rubber mat walkway makes it easier to climb up. A “sensory shower” featuring different materials and textures invites children to explore through touch.
The spiral carousel has been adapted to offer opportunities to sit, lie down and hold on. Seating openings in the large climbing pyramid provide additional ways to use the equipment, while colour-coded ropes make the different levels of difficulty easier to identify.
A Joint Effort, Building on the Existing Playground
The improvements did not require the playground to be completely rebuilt. Existing equipment and structures were retained, adapted and complemented with carefully chosen additions. The municipal works team carried out the groundwork. HUCK and the municipal team worked together on the installation.
“We did not want to rebuild everything from scratch. Instead, we wanted to take a close look: where do barriers prevent people from joining in, and what can be changed within the existing playground? Berghausen shows how better routes and adapted play opportunities work together to enable greater participation,” explains Wolfgang Keiner.
This is not about installing a single piece of equipment as a solution for every need. What matters is how the different elements work together: play facilities must be accessible and offer different ways to join in. Targeted changes can therefore create more opportunities for shared play and social interaction.
A Benefit for Aßlar – with Potential Beyond the Town’s Boundaries
The need for such facilities is highlighted by the study “Inclusion in Playgrounds in Germany”, published in 2023 by Aktion Mensch and the Research Institute for Inclusion through Physical Activity and Sport. Of the 1,000 online-listed playgrounds examined across Germany, only 21.3 per cent had inclusive features. Almost 80 per cent lacked such features. Even where inclusive elements were present, this did not automatically mean that the playground was fully accessible.
With the enhanced playground, Aßlar gains a more varied public leisure facility for children and families. The site could also become a destination for families from beyond the town who are looking for opportunities for children with different abilities to play together.
Berghausen therefore shows how an existing playground can become more inclusive step by step – and how collaboration between a municipality and a local company can enrich community life.
You want to learn more about the changes in Berghausen? Then click here.