New accessible playground opens in St. Paul's Hamline Park
Oct. 15—St. Paul marked the opening of a playground with accessible equipment in Hamline Park this week. The new play space has been renovated with new safety surfacing and drains underneath the area to keep the space dry.
It is equipped with four new swings, one of which is wheelchair accessible, five slides, climbers to access the play equipment and a climbable frog for participants ages 2 to 5. There are other accessible elements to the playground — like a deck from the ground level on the largest structure — to make it inclusive for all participants.
"Our parks and recreation centers offer safe, healthy, and enriching spaces for our entire community," said Mayor Melvin Carter in a statement. "The new additions to Hamline Park expand opportunities for children and families in our city to play, learn, grow, and thrive."
The playground was funded by community development block grant. The $373,000 budget covered the playground equipment, installation, safety resurfacing, new pavement and infrastructure upgrades.
The Hamline Midway Coalition and Friends of Hamline Park collected community feedback on the playground and are taking on fundraising efforts to install more tables, benches, a new park sign and public art.
