An inclusive playground that opened earlier this month at the Arc Erie County's school for special education students in the Town of Tonawanda drew interest from parents in the community who looked forward to bringing their children there.

And the organization that helped pay for the playground, Mason's Mission Foundation, said both parties agreed from the beginning the general public would have access to the playground.

But just days after the opening, Arc officials closed off the new playground, saying only its students could use the space – and only while under staff supervision.

"I believe the administration was given some bad advice," said Jason Evchich, founder of the nonprofit foundation named after his older son. "It was disappointing."

However, families in the Town of Tonawanda aren't entirely out of luck. The town already was planning to construct its own inclusive playground, thanks to a state grant, and Mason's Mission now wants to work with the town to make the space bigger and better, officials said.

"We're excited about this project," Tonawanda Supervisor Joseph Emminger said Friday.

The playground Mason's Mission built in collaboration with Arc is its second in the area.