Liberty Park’s Rotary Play Park to close for redevelopment

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The Rotary Play Park in Liberty Park is scheduled to close on September 2 for redevelopment to make the playground into an accessible space for children of all abilities.

This redevelopment is scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2026, and it will feature “nature-inspired, imaginative, and skill-building” elements designed to be inclusive for all children, according to a press release.

While the playground is closed, the city is encouraging families to visit playgrounds at other city parks, and it has a list of alternatives on the project website. There is even another playground at Liberty Park that will still be available, the Rice Pavilion Playground. It’s on the northeast corner of the park near the Rice Terrace Pavilion.

The redevelopment is using $2 million from the Reimagine Parks, Trails, and Open Space General Obligation Board, which voters approved in November 2022. The bond is intended to make “high-quality” parks and public spaces available to everyone in Salt Lake City.

The project has taken public input into account during two rounds of public comment. Project managers and designers talked to families at the playground in the summer of 2023, held focus groups, and surveyed people online to figure out what people wanted to see. Over 1,700 people contributed ideas and feedback, including inclusivity and disability experts.

Then, project management developed three design concepts in early 2024 and gathered feedback on those designs, creating a final design in May. You can view that final concept below.

People wanted an accessible playground, but also one that encouraged exploration through imaginative play and obstacle courses, with a natural, open space concept, lots of shade, water fountains, seating, and improved sightlines for parents with other safety features.

The new park will include a wheelchair accessible spin carousel, a splash zone, in-ground jumpers, a group pendulum swing, and a climbing tower, among other features. There will also be adaptive features for children with vision, hearing, and communication differences.

The Rotary Play Park was built in honor of the 2002 Paralympic Winter Games, which were hosted in Salt Lake City. It was intended as an all-ages and abilities park, but as the project website says, it is “well-loved and well-worn,” and due for an update.