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Millstone Creek Park Playground Refurbishment
Beginning in February, the Millstone Creek Park playground was closed for refurbishment. The old Millstone Creek playground set was a beloved site by the community and was due for an upgrade. This provided the City an opportunity to introduce an even more innovative and inclusive design to the City’s first universally accessible playground.
The Why
- The City tracks the lifespan of all playground equipment, which is replaced on a natural 15-year cycle. The old playground was due for an upgrade and had to be removed for safety reasons.
- Designs around adaptive and inclusive play have evolved over the last 15 years. The new Millstone playground is informed by the latest research and design.
- The new Millstone design features new areas that address some pain points of the previous design, such as the number of access points to the park, lack of shade and quiet spaces and limited sightlines.
What’s New
- A new inclusive playground featuring a slide, net climbing features, swings and mounds that double as ramps to the play equipment
- A new wheelchair accessible buddy swing
- A chime forest and imaginative play route
- A nature play area and overlook along the creek
- An edible, sensory planter garden with herbs and fruits that invite interaction
An Innovative Approach to Play
For years, playgrounds have relied on equipment to provide toys and experiences for children to play with. However, new developmental research shows that children grow their skills in creative spaces where the friends they play with change. The new Millstone Creek playground is informed by that research, creating a complex, safe and comfortable space for children to return.
New Nature Play Area
One of the exciting features of the new Millstone Creek park playground is its natural play element. So what is nature play? It is a form of play intended to place children in safe environments similar to those they would find in nature. It can be enjoyed in a group or alone, but it always helps children engage more with their environment.
Nature play is not prescriptive; it allows children to use their imagination and engage with the natural world. The new nature play area will:
- Encourage children to interact with the stream and wild landscape
- Introduce log and rock scrambles/steppers to test skills
- Include a new quiet spot for reflection and calming
The original Millstone Creek playground included wild and native plants around the perimeter. This new design expands that approach by bringing plants into the core of the playground. An edible sensory container garden will allow visitors to crush and smell leaves or taste the herbs and fruits growing on site. Visitors can watch the plants grow and change with the seasons while tapping into intrinsic learning.
A Design for All Ages and Abilities
One of the most exciting aspects of the park is its design around inclusive play. We wanted Millstone to be a place where people of all ages and abilities can play. Beyond being a place for children, Millstone is a space for family, caregivers and friends to play alongside each other, experiencing cross-generational play and exploration that creates lifelong benefits.
So How Did We Do It?
The understanding of what makes a space inclusive has changed over the last 15 years. We looked at all aspects of inclusion and incorporated feedback from the community to ensure it was a space everyone could enjoy.
The original playground needed an extensive network of posts and ramps to help guests with mobility needs. The new design incorporates ramps into the mounds, making them invisible to anyone who isn’t looking. These mounds improve sightlines and safety, introducing more imagination and inclusion to the space.
Construction Details & Improvements
- Demolition of the existing playground surface and select equipment
- Installation of a new bonded rubber surface
- Installation of refurbished playground equipment and furniture that includes accessories
- Drip irrigation equipment will be installed to feed the new planters
- Replacement of the existing wood bridge and creekside deck