At PLAY Roanoke, our mission is to build a welcoming community through PLAY. One of the best ways we can think to do that is by bringing SIX brand new playgrounds to your parks this spring! Back in September 2021, the Department was given $2.3 million to address a substantial backlog of deferred maintenance. There are over 70 parks, plazas, and greenways within the City, but with great parks comes great responsibility (and the need for lots of dollar bills). This investment in the parks system allows the Department to address its backlog and get back to providing residents with the quality amenities they deserve.
“Parks are a critical and essential public service. From promoting community wellness and quality family time to improving environmental quality and connecting with nature, parks help build a better, more livable community for all city residents,” says Michael Clark, Director of Parks and Recreation.
Washington Park Playground (Upper)
Improvements have already started, but today, we’re talking about playgrounds! Garden City, Raleigh Court, River’s Edge, Staunton, Washington (upper), and West End parks are all in line for playground replacements this year. If you’ve visited any of these parks lately, you know these improvements are desperately necessary. Work on these new playgrounds, all of which are ADA accessible, will begin in early April, and they should all be installed by July. These new play spaces will dramatically improve the quality of these parks and provide the surrounding neighborhoods with safe, quality structures for our younger residents.
While this initiative doesn’t cover the full list of needs across the park system, it marks the single largest and most diverse investment in the park system’s infrastructure in the past 20 years. Stay tuned to our progress through our social media channels and monthly emails, and we look forward to taking our first slide, swing, or spin on one of these playgrounds very soon!
