The city of Burbank received the 2025 Helen Putnam Award of Excellence in the Health and Wellness Programs category. For more information about the award program, visit calcities.org/helen-putnam-award-for-excellence.

On a sunny February afternoon in Burbank, the cheers of wheelchair rugby players echoed across McCambridge Park. Just steps away, a young girl who is blind held a tennis racket for the first time. Nearby, parents crowded around a vendor, eager to learn about resources for their children with autism.

This wasn’t a one-off city event: This was the Burbank Adaptive Sports Expo, the penultimate moment in a vibrant, year-round community celebration of inclusion, empowerment, and possibility.

In this city of over 100,000 residents in the San Fernando Valley, the need for inclusive recreation had been long overdue. For years, athletes with disabilities in Burbank faced steep hurdles: limited programs, high equipment costs, and social stigma. For families, this meant long drives to other cities or going without entirely. That changed in 2024, when the city’s Parks and Recreation Department launched the Burbank Adaptive Sports Expo (BASE).

“The challenge wasn’t just about access to adaptive sports,” said Sharron McMillan, chair of the Burbank Advisory Council on Disabilities. “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.”

BASE addresses barriers head-on. Through months of planning and the support of the city council, Burbank staff united with regional partners to host a day where individuals of all abilities could experience over 18 different adaptive sports, many for the very first time. Wheelchair basketball, blind soccer, beep baseball, parafencing — all hands-on, free, and powered by community volunteers and expert coaches.

The inaugural event in 2024 drew nearly 200 athletes and more than 1,000 visitors. By 2025, attendance skyrocketed to 3,000, with 240 athletes participating. The numbers speak for themselves, but the impact runs much deeper.

“I watched my son score his first goal in powerchair soccer,” said Armando Ornelas, a parent and volunteer coach. “He’s never been on a team before. You can’t put a price on what that moment meant for our family.”

But the expo was only the beginning. Following its success, the city expanded its adaptive offerings with weekly drop-in programs hosted at McCambridge Recreation Center. Thanks to a $40,000 grant from Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Burbank purchased sport and power wheelchairs. And with backing from Leadership Burbank’s Class of 2025, the city raised an additional $90,000 for all-terrain chairs and fencing equipment, launching what is now the largest municipal parafencing program in the country.

“Burbank’s commitment to inclusion goes beyond words — it’s demonstrated through real investments, meaningful action, and lasting outcomes,” said Chris Allen, executive director of SoCal Adaptive Sports, one of the program’s partners. “The city has set the gold standard for what’s possible when a community truly believes that everyone belongs.”

In just two years, BASE generated over $22,000 in sponsorships, brought in dozens of community partners, and expanded to adaptive swimming, scuba diving, and blind tennis. Residents can access the programs for $5 a year.

At the 2025 expo, the city unveiled the $1.9 million Centennial Playground, a fully inclusive space with adaptive swings, wheelchair ramps, and sensory-friendly features.

“The Adaptive Sports Expo reflects the heart of our city,” said Mayor Nikki Perez. “It’s a reminder that inclusion isn’t a program — it’s a value — and we’re proud to lead by example. Through equity and inclusion, we’re creating a Burbank where all residents are valued and empowered to thrive. Personally, I couldn’t be prouder of our city and Parks and Recreation Department for their leadership in adaptive sports!”

Part of the event’s magic lies in its joyful atmosphere. The 2025 Expo featured a dazzling performance by the Rollettes, a national wheelchair dance troupe, and an appearance by the LA Galaxy, with their Major League Soccer Cup trophy in hand. These moments made headlines. But the quieter moments — a child trying adaptive golf for the first time or a teen finding community through parafencing — are what make the impact lasting.

The lessons for other cities are clear: Inclusion takes intention, but the return is immeasurable. With relatively modest funding, strong partnerships, and a clear vision, Burbank has transformed not only how it serves residents with disabilities, but how it defines community altogether.

As one athlete put it after BASE 2025, “For the first time, I didn’t have to adapt to the world; the world adapted to me.”

Noah Altman is Burbank’s recreation services manager. He can be reached at NAltman@burbankca.gov or (818) 238-5300. Watch this video for an overview of the project.