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HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) – The time has come for the Harrisonburg community to say goodbye to a beloved local playground, and start getting excited about a new one, as crews prepare to begin work on the future Kids Castle at Purcell Park.
A special Kids Castle farewell event will be held on Thursday, May 8, from 4:30 to 7 p.m., where members of the community will be able to paint or draw their goodbye messages and other artistic creations on pieces of the play structure. Harrisonburg Parks & Recreation staff will provide paint and paintbrushes, among other supplies as needed, to participants who will be encouraged to paint on different wooden planks throughout Kids Castle and then take pictures of their completed work. Planks will not be able to be taken afterward.
The event is a way for the community to celebrate an amenity that has served thousands throughout Harrisonburg for many years.
“Kids Castle holds a special place in so many of our hearts,” Harrisonburg Parks & Rec Director Brian Mancini said in a press release. “I hope everyone who loves this playground has a chance to come out and say goodbye to the playground, celebrate what it has meant to our community, and begin looking forward to the great things to come in the very near future.”
The current Kids Castle will permanently close to the public on Monday, May 12, to allow for crews to remove the structure and begin work on the new playground – designed based on more than 1,000 pieces of public input and playground drawings from children in local schools. The new playground will include a castle, ADA-appropriate walkways throughout the area, two ziplines, a wooden boardwalk, a tricycle track, multiple slides made of playground structures and natural slopes, play zones designed for age-appropriate play for toddlers through 12-13 years of age, and more. Crews anticipate completing the project this fall.
The replacement of Kids Castle is one of six Harrisonburg Parks & Rec projects selected for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) spending by Harrisonburg City Council. Other recreation-related projects include creation of a Splashpad at Ralph Sampson Park (currently underway), adding lights and restrooms to the Smithland Athletic Complex (completed), improvements to allow for an adult athletic field at Thomas Harrison Middle School (underway) and replacement of the Westover Park Skatepark (completed).
Find more information on City ARPA projects and their timeline for completion at https://harrisonburgva.gov/ARPA. Follow Harrisonburg Parks & Rec at https://www.facebook.com/harrisonburgparksandrecreation for updates on the Kids Castle Playground project and other ongoing recreation projects.