We LOVE adventures in the park and are lucky to have so many great playgrounds in the Fox Cities. This year is an exciting year for our community, with so many fantastic updates and new playgrounds. We have rounded them up here to help you stay in the know! As the playgrounds open, we will feature them on our Park Guide and update our Parks with Rubber Ground articles.
Did we miss one? Let us know by contacting us!
Kaukauna Pool, Kaukauna
We are super excited about Kaukauna Aquatic Center and park updates! Some of the fun features include a 175-foot tube waterslide, aqua climbing wall, yard game area, rentable party room, outdoor gazebos, and a new splash pad building with attached restrooms. The splash pad will be the largest in Wisconsin!
The concession stand will have a full menu that includes Brew Pub Pizza, chicken tenders, Haen’s meat for hamburgers/hotdogs, ice cream novelties, and more!
Opening day will be in June 2024.
Jefferson Park, Menasha
The new playground is being installed between the pavilion and basketball court on the park’s west side and will be twice the size of the old one with room for over 200 kids of all ages and stages of development. The play area will be water-themed with a lighthouse, cattails, pelicans, butterflies, frogs, turtles, and more!
NEW Park Features:
- dual-track zipline with inclusive swing
- 4 ft artificial turf hill with slides and climber
- musical equipment
- spinning net climber
- fully accessible rock ‘n ship
- 14 ft climbing tower
- generation adult/child swings
- wheelchair-accessible ramp into the main play structure
This project is part of a $5 million makeover of Jefferson Park that will enhance the playground, pavilions, softball diamonds, boat launch, and a social space and fire pits, expected to be complete near the end of 2024. Future phases will include pool renovations and shoreline enhancements.
The playground is currently being constructed and will open in May/June 2024.
Other components of the project, including the reconstruction of the new park road, trail, softball diamond, and pavilion, will break ground in late Summer. The boat launch is expected to break ground in late 2024/early 2025.
Shepard Park, Menasha
Shepard Park is also getting a new playground installed and is expected to open in May, with a ribbon cutting on May 29, 2024!
Farmer’s Field Park, Village of Harrison
Farmers Field Park is located on Manitowoc Road east of the CTH N. The park currently has baseball diamonds, soccer fields, and a sledding hill. The Village is working on installing lighting along the planned trails, parking lot, and access road. Lighting will be installed in the Summer of 2024. In April/May 2024, two new playgrounds will be installed: one for 5-12 year olds (Mountain Pass) and one for 2-5 year olds.
- Estimated Completion: May 2024
Rennwood Park
The Village of Harrison is also working on a new playground, Rennwood Park, located off Midway Road and Ethan Drive in the Cedar Ridge Estates subdivision. In March, the Village hosted a public meeting to gather input of the proposed master plan for Rennwood Park. The improvements include a 10-15 stall paved parking lot, paved trails through the dense forest, educational signage, and a natural playground. The natural playground will include learning and play elements made of wood and other materials that are safe, sustainable, and fun for children.
- Final design and bidding for the trail and park lots: Summer/Fall 2024
- Construction of trail and parking lot: Fall/Spring/Summer 2025
- Design & Development of Playground: 2025/2026
Verhagen Park, Kimberly
Park updates at Verhagen Park in Kimberly include a new playground with ninja elements, inclusive elements, and “MOVMNT Xtreme,” a video game element that allows participants to play a game by turning a crank to generate power. This interactive component will accommodate play between two people.
The village is fundraising to get poured-in-place surfacing for underneath and is about $7,500 into the $75,000 goal.
- Estimated Completion: Summer of 2024
Sunset Park Splash Pad, Kimberly
The splash pad will be open as part of admission to Sunset Beach during the regular beach season. Once beach season ends, gates on the north side of the pad will be locked, and gates on the south side will open. This will allow people to access the splash pad for free outside of the beach swimming season. It will also extend water access to a time of year when our lifeguards are back at school and unable to staff the beach for families.
Parkitecture + Planning completed the splash pad theme and design in 2020, Using elements and a theme selected by Westside Elementary students: Animals at the Beach.
The central element includes an octopus, which we hope to implement in full as part of the project scope in 2024. Additional elements like the crabs and kites will be phased in over time, with hopes of adding a few a year as the budget allows.
- Estimated Completion: mid to late August 2024
Lundgaard Park, Appleton
Lundgaard Park is currently on schedule to be dedicated in Mid-May, weather-dependent. The playground installation will take place at the end of April, with the pour-in-place rubberized surfacing scheduled for installation in early May.
Green Meadows Park will also get a new playground in the Spring, and Highview Park will get a new playground in the Fall!
Bay Beach Playground, Green Bay
A new inclusive playground is being built at Bay Beach Amusement Park and is expected to open by Memorial Day weekend. The playground includes a rubber ground with zipline, climbing features, sensory surfaces, swings and more. Other updates at Bay Beach include new bumper cars and updates to the Bay Beast ride.
More Updates – Stay Tuned!
- Arrowhead Park Boardwalk, Grand Chute – New boardwalk .75 mile and updating lighting. Anticipated completion: 2024
- Alonzo Park, Hortonville – Alonzo Park’s Splash Pad and Playground design was approved at the April 7th Village Board Meeting. Currently engaged in the engineering phase of the project. Upon its completion, the project would move to the bidding process. As of now, construction commencement is anticipated for August 2024. This timeline is influenced by a secured State Grant, which provides matching funds of up to $500,000.
- Van Lieshout Park, Little Chute – 2,900-square-foot splash pad will have a Dutch theme to match the village’s history. Currently in planning and approval processes.
