City to cut ribbon for new Johnson Park playscape Saturday
Children have been enjoying the new playscape in Johnson Park for about a month now. The formal ribbon cutting will be at noon Saturday.
By Glynis Crawford Smith/The Highlander
Children have been scrambling over a new playscape in Marble Falls Johnson Park, but the maze of new playground equipment will be officially opened with a ribbon cutting at noon Saturday, March 4.
“It is wonderful to see children enjoying the new feature,” said Parks & Recreation Director Robert Moss. “We want to invite the public to share in the ribbon cutting.”
In 2016 Johnson Park was designated a Lone Star Legacy Park by the Texas Recreation and Parks Society (TRAPS), in part for its heritage of serving the whole community since 1888.
“The new playscape will continue to offer park visitors an opportunity to make memories under the iconic pecan trees,” said Moss.
The city invested $79,000 in the fanciful addition to the park at 230 South Avenue J. An older wooden set of playground equipment will find a new home at Faith Academy. The existing playground near the Backbone Creek bridge, especially attractive to the youngest visitors to the park, will remain.
The new feature will allow a whole range of ages, 5-12 year-olds) to play together.
“One of the goals is to give as many activities as possible,” said Moss. “The new playscape has more handlebars, slides, and climbing areas,” explained Moss.
The BCI Burke equipment was purchased and installed by the Fun Abounds company.
“The smaller section is age appropriate for ages 2-5,” said Parks Superintendent Lewis Fincher. “The larger section is appropriate for ages 5-12. The entire playground includes of the Comet (a merry-go-round of sorts but more than a ride that challenges strength, balance and coordination of one child or a group), Viper Slides (that twist around on the way down), Little Buddies (a pint-size collection of features to refine gross motor skills as children mingle socially), Plexus (monkey bars on a new level for climbing and overhead play) and Trigon Bridge (a row suspended triangle shaped rings for climbing).
The annual Walk-a-Dog-a-Thon benefit for Highland Lakes SPCA will be going on most of the day in the park, which has a designated leash free zone.
