LOS ANGELES, CA: The first universally-accessible treehouse in a public space in California will be formally opened in a special ceremony on Monday, April 10 at Wilson Park in Torrance, California. The treehouse, a 2,500 square foot wooden structure, is designed to give children and adults of all ages and physical abilities an awe-inspiring experience -- and a bird's eye view. It was Wallis Annenberg, Vice President of the Annenberg Foundation, who first had the idea of building such a structure in the region when she heard about projects being undertaken by Forever Young Treehouses, Inc. in Burlington, Vermont. Wallis Annenberg was the catalyst for the effort. She was inspired by the sense of delight she felt people who typically could not climb up a ladder into a treehouse would feel. The City of Torrance was chosen because of its community pride in its programs, schools, resources and parks; its diversity; its support for those who are physically challenged; and its public safety record. Planning, design and construction of the project were funded through a grant to Forever Young Treehouses, Inc. by the Annenberg Foundation.
The design of the treehouse was influenced, in part, by the ideas of local high school students who participated in a design workshop. Advice and counsel were also provided by a Community Advisory Council for the treehouse project and the Pediatric Therapy Network, a Torrance-based nonprofit organization that serves more than 1,000 children with special needs every week.
“It is thrilling to be able to make it possible for people of all ages and physical abilities to experience the world from a treehouse,” said Wallis Annenberg. “There's a sense of vision, fun and pure escape that only such a structure can provide.”
A host of environmentally-sensitive considerations were applied in the design and construction process. The treehouse decking is made of stamped, sustainably-harvested South American Ipe wood, and the oak posts were recovered and repurposed from fire-damaged forests in southern Oregon and trees damaged by grazing horses. The wooden branches in the arbor are recycled; they would normally have been chipped or thrown away in the logging process. The helical pier foundations are among the most environmentally sound methods for placing posts near living trees. The design and placement of the treehouse will enable the adjacent trees to grow unimpeded.
The Opening Ceremony, open to the press, will be:
Monday, April 10, 2006
10:45 am to 11:30 am
Wilson Park
2200 Crenshaw Blvd.
Torrance, CA 90501
Speakers at the event will include:
Wallis Annenberg, Vice President of the Annenberg Foundation;
The Honorable Dan Walker, Mayor of Torrance;
Bill Allen, Founder of Forever Young Treehouses, Inc.
Leonard Aube, Managing Director of the Annenberg Foundation's Los Angeles office, will serve as an informal Master of Ceremonies.
