Belonging is one of the most powerful outcomes parks and recreation can create.
It happens when a child discovers a new passion, when families find a supportive community, and when individuals of all abilities see themselves reflected in the programs and spaces around them. Parks and recreation professionals have a unique opportunity to create these moments every day, transforming public spaces into places where everyone feels welcome and connected.
In Burbank, California, that belief inspired the creation of the Burbank Adaptive Sports Expo (BASE), an initiative that is expanding access to recreation, building community partnerships and demonstrating how adaptive sports can unlock the power of belonging for an entire community.
What began as a single-day event has evolved into a year-round movement that is changing lives and reshaping how a city thinks about inclusive recreation.
For many individuals with disabilities, participating in sports and recreation can require overcoming barriers that others rarely consider. Specialized equipment can be costly. Programs may not exist locally. Families often travel long distances to find opportunities that meet their needs.
In Burbank, city leaders, community advocates and recreation professionals recognized an important truth: the challenge was not simply access to adaptive sports. It was ensuring that every resident had an opportunity to participate, connect, and belong.
Sharron McMillan, Chair of the Burbank Advisory Council on Disabilities, reflects on this broader mission:
“The challenge wasn’t just about access to adaptive sports,” McMillan said. “It was about making sure every resident, regardless of ability, felt seen, heard and included in the community, with a special focus on children, opening up the realm of possibility for them.”
With support from the City Council, regional adaptive sports organizations and community partners, the Parks and Recreation Department launched the inaugural Burbank Adaptive Sports Expo in 2024.
Creating a Place Where Everyone Can Play
The concept was simple but powerful: create a welcoming environment where individuals of all abilities could explore adaptive recreation firsthand.
Participants tried wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, blind soccer, beep baseball, adaptive tennis, parafencing, and other adaptive sports, all at no cost. Coaches, athletes and volunteers provided hands-on instruction and encouragement, helping participants focus on possibility rather than limitation.
The inaugural Expo welcomed nearly 200 athletes and more than 1,000 visitors. What began as a local pilot quickly grew into one of the region’s most meaningful celebrations of inclusive recreation. By 2025, attendance had expanded to approximately 3,000 community members, with continued momentum into 2026 as the Expo welcomed 340 athletes alongside thousands of spectators throughout the day. The growth reflects not only increasing demand for adaptive recreation opportunities, but also a deepening community commitment to creating spaces where everyone belongs.
But the numbers only tell part of the story.
One parent, Armando Ornelas, reflected on what the experience meant for his family:
“I watched my son score his first goal in powerchair soccer,” he said. “He’s never been on a team before. You can’t put a price on what that moment meant for our family.”
Moments like these highlight the true impact of adaptive recreation: confidence, connection and a sense of belonging that extends far beyond the field of play.
Partnerships That Sustain Impact
One of the clearest lessons from BASE is that inclusive recreation is built through collaboration.
The Expo brought together adaptive sports organizations, disability advocates, schools, healthcare providers, sponsors, and community leaders who share a common goal: expanding access and opportunity for all residents.
These partnerships have translated into lasting investment.
A $40,000 grant from Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger helped fund adaptive sports equipment, including sport wheelchairs and power wheelchairs. Leadership Burbank’s Class of 2025 contributed adaptive fencing equipment and all-terrain mobility chairs valued at more than $90,000.
These resources helped Burbank move beyond a single event and into year-round programming that now includes power soccer, adaptive swimming, scuba diving, blind tennis and one of the largest municipal parafencing programs in the nation.
Chris Allen, Executive Director of SoCal Adaptive Sports, notes the significance of this commitment:
“Burbank’s commitment to inclusion goes beyond words. It’s demonstrated through real investments, meaningful action and lasting outcomes. The city has set the gold standard for what is possible when a community truly believes that everyone belongs.”
Inclusion Beyond a Single Event
As the Adaptive Sports Expo has grown, so too has Burbank’s broader vision for accessibility.
During the 2025 Expo, the city unveiled Centennial Playground, a fully inclusive play space featuring adaptive swings, wheelchair-accessible pathways, ramps and sensory-friendly elements designed for children of all abilities.
This expansion reinforces an important lesson for parks and recreation professionals: inclusion cannot be confined to a single program or event. It must be embedded into facilities, policies, and everyday practice.
When inclusion becomes a guiding principle rather than an initiative, communities move from simply providing access to truly fostering belonging.
The Power of Belonging
Across the country, park and recreation agencies are increasingly called upon to advance equity, accessibility, and inclusion. The Burbank Adaptive Sports Expo demonstrates that meaningful progress does not always require large-scale infrastructure. It begins with listening, collaboration, and a commitment to removing barriers.
Adaptive recreation, in particular, offers a powerful opportunity to transform lives through relatively modest investments with outsized impact.
At its core, BASE is about more than sports.
It is about connection.
It is about confidence.
It is about community.
And most importantly, it is about belonging.
At the conclusion of the 2025 Expo, one athlete captured the experience in a single statement:
“For the first time, I didn’t have to adapt to the world; the world adapted to me.”
For parks and recreation professionals, that is the power of belonging in action.
Questions to Consider
- How is your agency creating opportunities for individuals with disabilities to participate in recreation programs?
- What partnerships have helped advance adaptive recreation efforts in your community?
- What is one barrier your organization could remove this year to make recreation more inclusive for all?
Diego Cevallos is the assistant parks and recreation director for the City of Burbank Parks and Recreation Department.