Accessible playground opens at Kalona City Park

By Cheryl Allen
Posted 6/7/23

Kalona’s newest playground equipment is open for play, just in time for summer.  

On Wednesday, May 31, city workers cleaned up the edges of Kalona City Park’s newest …

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Accessible playground opens at Kalona City Park

Posted

Kalona’s newest playground equipment is open for play, just in time for summer.  

On Wednesday, May 31, city workers cleaned up the edges of Kalona City Park’s newest installation, an ADA/inclusive playground conveniently located just east of the parking lot and easily accessed by a newly-poured eight-foot-wide walking path. 

The playground’s ramps, slides, and other activities are shaded by three umbrellas; underneath, a poured-in-place rubberized fall surface protects against injuries and feels novel underfoot.  

The GameTime equipment was installed this spring by Cunningham Recreation; most of the cost was funded by grants from GameTime and the Washington County Riverboat Foundation.

“We can add pods to it at a later date, if we decide that it goes over well,” City Administrator Ryan Schlabaugh said.  “We can branch off of that and do additional walkways and provide connectivity” to other play areas in the park.

In a week or two, the “pocket park” on the northwest corner of B Avenue and 3rd Street is also expected to be open for enjoyment.  The City installed playground equipment last fall, and cement work, a picnic table, and trash receptacle have since been added.  Remaining landscaping and cleanup will be completed shortly. 

The new park developments are part of the City’s ongoing commitment to recreational opportunities.  

“We’re always trying to improve the amenities that we have and see how it works with the public,” Schlabaugh said.  

Plans for the future at City Park include heat and air conditioning for the enclosed shelter, more pickleball courts, disc golf, and cornhole.  

“Any given time when you go down to our parks, you see families together.  You see people taking advantage of open green space for health and wellness activities,” Schlabaugh said.  “It’s kind of a gathering point.  We’re really proud that we’re able to offer our parks up to a lot of different groups.”