Centennial Park Playscape is under construction on South Holiday Drive in Waunakee. It will be the village's first accessible playground and the plan is to open it in the fall.
The village of Waunakee plans to open its first inclusive and accessible playground in the fall.
The 10,000-square-foot playground, which the village is calling its Centennial Park Playscape at 901 S. Holiday Drive, will include an 8,600-square-foot splash pad, 3,500 combined square feet of pathways and a picnic plaza, said Sue McDade, village of Waunakee community services director.
Construction on the project is slated to end in September, said Todd Schmidt, village administrator. Crews began working on the site in early spring.
A rendering of the village of Waunakee's Centennial Park Playscape that's set to be Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant and include a splash pad.
Waunakee seeks to raise $500,000 to bring the playscape to fruition. Donations are currently around $206,000 and have come from private sources, she said. The rest of the funds will come from the village through impact fees, borrowing and money that was budgeted for other park projects. To donate to the Centennial Park Playscape project, go to vil.waunakee.wi.us/341/Centennial-Park.
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“All the underground utility work has been completed,” she said. “The playground is installed, but it’s not playable yet. They are working right now on hard concrete surfaces, sidewalks where there will be picnic tables and the like. Next week, crews will be pouring the surface for the splash pad.”
The village is raising money to help pay for Centennial Park Playscape in Waunakee.
Plans for the Centennial Park Playscape’s playground include equipment with American with Disabilities Act-compliant ramps, and features for parkgoers to climb, swing and slide down.
The splash pad will have a section for young children and the general public. A rendering depicts features reminiscent of trees, flowers and other natural elements.
A rendering of the inclusive playground's splash pad.
The playscape project was born out of a failed referendum two years ago that would have paid for a swimming pool in the community, McDade said. There was no appetite for a swimming pool, as the village already has various neighborhood pools. But it has no outdoor play areas.
“People are supportive and excited to see it happen,” she said. “I think it’s just an opportunity for us to bring the community together in a fun way. The project really does provide something for everyone.”
Centennial Park Playscape features interactive and inclusive elements.
The village is raising money to help pay for Centennial Park Playscape in Waunakee.
