Submitted by University Place Parks & Recreation Foundation.
Heavy equipment converged at Cirque Park recently, as City of University Place crews began site preparation for installation of playground equipment and perhaps a late fall Grand Opening in October or November. This marks the true beginning of the playground, which has been financed by several major donors, community donations and public grants. Part of the equipment order is also on hand, and hopefully the fall weather will cooperate with the installation schedule.
The playground will be accessible to children of all abilities and located at UP’s 27-acre Cirque Park. The playground’s total cost is expected to be $1.1 million, which includes: a new restroom facility with two ADA family restrooms, site development and state-of-the-art playground equipment. Full funding for the ADA restrooms is in Phase 2 of construction, and will be the subject of additional fund raising. The new playground is expected to open in late fall 2024; opening of the new restroom will await full funding.
The playground has been designed by a local community team, Great Western Recreation and Cunningham Recreation. It features the latest in-play equipment that encourages interactive play among children of all abilities. The playground will also feature a base of interlocking cushioned tiles, allowing wheeled devices to move smoothly in and out of the playground. Other features will offer tactile or cognitive stimulation to children with nonphysical disabilities, such as autism, speech, hearing, or intellectual disabilities.
Further information can be obtained by contacting the University Place Parks and Recreation Foundation, at info@upprf.org. Donation information can be found at the UPPRF Facebook page.
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