The play area at the Lake Elmo Park Reserve. Photo: Washington County
An accessible playground with a nature and animal theme has opened at the Lake Elmo Park Reserve.
“The goals of the reimagined play area included improved accessibility, providing varied play experiences for multiple age groups, leaning into the natural topography,” a news release from Washington County states.
The custom playground is aimed at a variety of ages and abilities and expanded the play area, using a poured-in-place rubber surfacing. Equipment is accessible to all children including those with physical or sensory disabilities. The park area includes structures to provide shade, additional bike parking, and more seating. The project has improved the connection between the play area and swim area as well.
The previous Lake Elmo Swim Pond Play Area playground was installed in 1988 and was “characterized by outdated equipment, sand surfacing, and treated timber retaining walls,” the release states. The county received public input with custom playground equipment being the top request.
Last September, volunteers for Kids Around the World, a Rockford, IL-based nonprofit organization, dismantled and removed the playground equipment. Kids Around the World repurposes playground to communities in need around the world. The old playground will be set up in communities in Uganda and Ecuador.