Playscape is First of Its Kind in United States

Were you that lucky kid on the block? You know, the one with a treehouse? Even if you were, chances are it was nothing like what you will now find at River Legacy Park. The Arlington Parks and Recreation Department has just opened a one-of-a-kind playscape which winds into the treetops, integrating nature and adventure with swings and slides.

"I always dreamed as a kid of having a treehouse. This is a great way to get kids active and out in nature, said Kurt Beilharz, Project Manager for the City of Arlington Parks and Recreation Department. "There's nothing else like this in the United States."

The main play equipment structures were custom designed for the River Legacy Park project by Gametime and are sculpted from glass fiber reinforced concrete. The new equipment is exciting and inviting, beckoning children to play and explore.

Slides appear to be coming out of a huge old hollow tree trunk and climbers have been designed on the sides of the tree. Animal faces, such as raccoons and owls, peer out from hollows in the tree. A net climber is configured to look like a giant spider. There are shaded areas for children to sit and interact. Smaller children will enjoy climbing on a life-size T-Rex dinosaur skeleton.

But the most unusual aspect of the new playground is a system of raised net tunnel structures that take the adventurous up into the lower branches of surrounding trees.

"We have connected the playscape to the trees," says Beilharz. "The kids can actually make a loop around the trees and back again. We really wanted something fun and exciting and we think it is."

The River Legacy Parks Playground project includes replacing aging playground equipment as well as improvements to the parking lot and restroom facilities bringing the entire project up to full compliance with Texas Accessibility Standards. Funding for these improvements was approved in the 2005 Park Bond Program.

Over the last few years the Parks and Recreation Department has added shade structures, renovated or completely rebuilt over 35 playgrounds throughout the city.

Thanks to funding from the 2008 Bond Program, the Parks and Recreation Department was able to construct phase one of the new playground. The project cost approximately $600,000 for design, materials and construction. This included lighting for the new playground, extensive trail additions, and renovations to the parking lot and restrooms. The goal of the renovation process is to bring those facilities into full compliance with state accessibility standards.

Click here to learn more about River Legacy http://www.riverlegacy.org/ and the experiences that await you and your family. Or you call 817-860-6752.