Austin Tree Houses

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Hayden’s Special Tree House

A special kid with special needs wished for a special tree house. That’s what 7-year-old Hayden got from Make-a-wish and Austin Tree Houses. Hayden has Spina Bifida and Cerebral Palsy and is wheelchair bound. Built between 200-year-old oak trees on the far end of the property, this special tree house was built with ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) standards in mind. As Hayden powered up the ramp for the first time, his mom told the TV reporter covering the opening; “This is the best day of his life”. Honestly, it was right up there for all of us.

The good news is there are a pair of 200-year-old oak trees to hold up the tree house. The possible not-so-good news, they’re at the far end of the property and not easily accessible with a wheelchair.
The trees and new tree house were located on a steep incline at the far end of the property. That made access difficult to for anyone including the craftsmen charged with creating the magic.
On the backside of the framed structure, you can see the beginnings of the loft that will be added to the tree house. Even though he couldn’t get to it, Hayden wanted a place for his friends and family to sleep over.
In order to meet ADA standards, we needed 1 foot of ramp per inch of rise. Since the tree house deck was about 5-1/2 feet above the grade, the ramp we built was approximately 65 feet in length. That meant 16 separate posts with concrete footings for each for the support necessary.
The appealing entry is very welcoming and the 65 foot ramp worked out great.
The limbs seemingly have a mind of their own as they poke their way in and out. This isn’t the largest, tallest or most intricate treehouse we’ve ever built. But spanning nearly 80 feet from tip to tail, it is certainly our longest by far.

Read the original article on cbsaustin.com

Read the original article on goodnewsnetwork.org