You can’t take your kids to the playground at Lakeview Park in Oshawa right now.
It’s closed along with the splash pad because both are getting a huge upgrade.
Manger of Parks, Planning and Development at the city, Mitchell Wiskel, says they’re going to remove the old play structure because it’s one of the oldest in the city and replace it with something bigger and better.
“The playground will be the city’s largest once it’s completed,” said Wiskel. “So, as opposed to the older structure, there is going to be defined junior and senior play areas.”
He says the junior area will be fully accessible and the safety surfacing will be rubber. The senior play area will be covered with engineered wood fibre, but he adds that’s still an accessible surface.
He says the playground will have a variety of features and challenges for kids of all ages.
“We’re going to have a central climbing structure, so a multi-level structure,” said Wiskel. “We’ll have a large assortment of different swings… for young children, toddlers, older children. We’ll have accessible swings as well.”
He says the new playground will also have something special.
“We’re also putting in a double zipline, which will be very neat,” said Wiskel. “You only see a few ziplines throughout Ontario, so we’ll be one of the fortunate parks to have one.”
He says the splash pad will have several ground spray features, as well as elevated spray features, including a dumping bucket.
Wiskel says the old play structure will be disposed of, but some of the newer ground elements at the playground may be saved and repurposed later.
The work is expected to be complete before Canada Day 2021.
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Three other parks in Oshawa are also being renovated this year.
They’re re-doing the tennis courts at Radio Park and adding four pickle ball courts.
At Sherwood Park, the city is replacing the playground and pathway while they’re redeveloping the northwest entrance at Kinsmen Valleyview Park.
The work at those three parks is expected to be complete sometime this year.
Wiskel adds the city is also replacing sand at a handful of their parks with engineered wood fibre, which is why you may notice some are completely fenced off.
Photo courtesy of Google Maps Street View
