A $3 million playground built for children of all abilities opened Tuesday, Oct. 13, at the Blue Valley Sports Complex in Overland Park.

Brody's Boundless Playground features accessible equipment, sensory-friendly retreat areas, inclusive swings, music stations and poured-in-place surfacing for seamless mobility. The project took three years of planning and construction, Fox 4 reported.

The playground is named for 16-year-old Brody Rea, who was born with a rare genetic difference that creates neurological and physical challenges. His parents, Michael and Brandy Rea, made the project possible through a $1 million donation from the Michael and Brandy Rea Family Foundation. Michael Rea said at the opening that a typical playground environment can be difficult for Brody, according to Fox 4.

Blue Valley Recreation, Variety KC and the Rea Foundation partnered on the project, with design work by Hollis + Miller Architects and Cunningham Recreation, according to KCUR. PlayCore designated the playground a National Demonstration Site, a recognition for research-based play environments.

It is Variety KC's 12th inclusive playground.

Fewer than one in five public playgrounds is fully inclusive, according to Variety KC and KCUR. The Overland Park site addresses that gap with wheelchair ramps wide enough for friends to walk alongside those who roll, quiet sensory areas and adult-sized motorized changing tables in every restroom.

The Oct. 13 celebration began with a sensory-friendly soft opening reserved for Variety KC families, followed by a ribbon-cutting at 4 p.m. and a community play day. Chick-fil-A, Kona Ice, The Golden Scoop, Scheels and other partners were on site, KCTV5 reported.

Marc Harrell, who leads Variety KC, said skills like negotiating, communicating and taking turns are learned on the playground, not in a classroom. He said the organization's goal is to make Kansas City the most inclusive city in the world.

Lezlie John, a mother of four, said the playground gives her daughter Tatum more independence. John said Tatum can walk to the top of the equipment on her own. At most parks, John said, her daughter has to be harnessed into a swing because accessible options are rare.

Melissa Sabin, whose son Logan attended the opening, said he gravitated toward one piece of equipment: a slide with rollers. "There's something about the sensory input of that that he loves," Sabin told KCTV5. She said watching Logan play without worrying about him falling was important to her.

Shane DeWald, executive director of Blue Valley Recreation, said at the project's April 9 groundbreaking that the playground is the first phase of a broader effort. He said the organization plans additional inclusive projects in future phases, according to KCUR.

The playground at the Blue Valley Sports Complex is open to the public.