Maplewood Playground Renovation Project

Maplewood Park Playground – Now Open!

We’re excited to announce that the newly renovated playground at Maplewood Park is now open and ready to enjoy! A huge thank you to the community for your patience during the renovation! We’re excited to see the playground come to life as a vibrant place for families and children to connect and play.

History

Maplewood Park’s playground has served children for nearly 20 years and was in need of upgrades to replace aging equipment, include safety surfacing, enlarge the playbox area slightly, and introduce new features to enhance fun and safety. Since 2018, the city has replaced five playgrounds, making Maplewood Park playground the sixth playground replacement project.

Project process

Maplewood Park has a major utility easement running through the center of the site; coordination with the utility provider on approval of the playground expansion and future tree planting areas occurred at the start of the project. Additionally, a gap in ADA accessibility was identified, leading to the project scope adding an ADA accessible path connecting the sidewalk to the ballfield seating area.

Community engagement occurred in two phases. First, to introduce the project and site constraints. Second, an opportunity for the neighborhood to vote on the playground designs. AllPlay Systems’ design was the clear favorite and final refinements were taken from community input.

The final touches will occur later in 2026 with tree plantings to add more shade in the park. The final touches will occur this spring with tree plantings to the south and west of the playground.

What is being added?

As part of the project, the playground will have the following improvements:

• Updated Play Equipment: The playground now features brand-new play equipment for children of all ages, including slides, swings, monkey bars, and climbing structures
• New Fitness Equipment: including stations for pull-ups, sit-ups, and push-ups
• ADA Accessibility: New pathways to make the park fully accessible, ensuring everyone can enjoy the space.

Funding

The project was funded through the Capital Improvement Program (CIP), specifically Property Tax/B&O Tax and Real Estate Excise Tax Funds.