Kids Kastle is Complete and Now Open

The Kids Kastle playground is complete and opened for play on December 19, 2020. City staff, along with Play by Design, LLC, and small volunteer groups completed the work on the community build project. The new Kids Kastle is an all-inclusive playground with a play area for 2-5 year-olds and a play area for 5-12 year-olds.

Kids Kastle includes 60 play features, most notably (and requested by the kids during Design Day) is the 85’ long zip line, all-inclusive merry-go-round, the Woodland Fort Climber, a 24’ long Caterpillar, a 6’ tall Climbing Rock, the Apollo spinner, the Giant Meteor Climber and so much more. The surfacing throughout the playground is synthetic turf which is the only antistatic protection synthetic turf available and made in the United States. The surfacing infill is Envirofill which is the cleanest turf infill as it uses Microban antimicrobial protection to help prevent the growth of bacteria and microbes that can cause stains, odors, and product deterioration. We heard from the parents in the community that covered seating throughout the play area was needed so the new Kids Kastle features four separate covered benches and one large seating area under the 16’ x 16’ metal roof shelter with an outlet and USB chargers.

Phase 1, originally scheduled for March 23-26, 2020, was postponed due to COVID-19. At that time, staff was able to secure May 18-21, 2020 with Play by Design, LLC to construct Phase 1 of the project. City staff, consultants from Play by Design, and contract construction workers were able to complete Phase 1 of the project. Phase 2 was then scheduled as a community build for July 20-25. Again because of COVID-19, Phase 2 was cancelled.

“We had hoped to build Kids Kastle with the community, but with the restrictions in place due to COVID-19 we changed our direction. Families were ready to play on the new Kids Kastle, and given the year we have all had, we wanted to provide them that joy,” stated Mayor Charlotte Wilcox.

The Kids Kastle play area was designed and built by the community in 1994. Since that time many families have enjoyed playing at Kids Kastle. The structure reached the end of its useful life and was in need of replacement. Voters approved funding for the community build in a bond election held in November 2018. The City contracted with Play by Design, LLC. The community involvement kicked off in September 2019 when a Design Day was held with Highland Village elementary schools and the community to gather their ideas for the playground. The consultant with Play by Design incorporated all the ideas, drew a schematic of the playground and presented to the community that same day.