The City of Windsor has added another playground to its growing list of accessible play areas.
The upgraded playground at Optimist Memorial Park in south Walkerville was unveiled Friday as part of a larger, $475,000 improvement to the park.
In keeping with the tradition of upgrading playgrounds with a specific theme in mind, the City has designed the new playground in a forest motif.
Outgoing Ward 4 Councillor Mark McKenzie said that the makeover of Optimist Park as a whole was the signature achievement during his one term on City Council.
"This is something I campaigned on back in 2022, and honestly, residents in this area have been asking for a new playground for over a decade. It's good to finally see it happen," said McKenzie. "The new soft surface is a real upgrade, too. It replaces the sand and rocks that were there before, which makes the whole space safer and more usable for kids."
The upgraded park now includes rubber surfacing, a new perimeter concrete sidewalk, new benches and site furnishings, and drainage improvements.
The Optimist Park improvements are part of the City's $16.3-million Playground Replacement Program, which includes the makeovers of 35 parks and playgrounds, and the creation of a new "super playground" at Lanspeary Park.
