Maplewood Park Playground Improvements

Project background

Located in the northwest quadrant of the city, Maplewood Park is one of two original parks laid out by Frederick Law Olmsted to highlight the Genesee River. Encompassing just over 31 acres, Lower Maplewood Park includes picnic areas, open green space, a playground, a pond, parking lots, and a 4,300 sq./ft. building with adjacent parking area that currently serves as an office space for the City’s Training & Safety team.

The City is currently in the process of converting the former training building and surrounding park into a Nature Center. The Nature Center will include interior and exterior interactive exhibits, meeting spaces, green infrastructure elements, and demonstration or sensory gardens. The Nature Center will provide specialized environmental education and nature-based adventure programming on-site including summer camps and nature based school programs.

The existing Lower Maplewood playground was originally installed in the 1990’s and includes tot and pre-teen play playsets as well as adult exercise equipment with fibar safety surfacing. The City’s goal in redesigning the playground is to create an innovative play space that compliments the vision of the Nature Center, provides modernized equipment and accessible safety surfacing, and honors the historic landscape.

Click here for more information regarding the Maplewood Nature Center Project

Public Engagement

The City held an initial public meeting on July 11, 2024.

Click here to download the presentation file from the first public meeting

The City held an additional meeting on December 11, 2024, to share the final design of the proposed trail and playground improvements.

Click here to download the presentation file from the second public meeting

Comments on the proposed improvements may be submitted to the project manager listed below, up to two weeks after the meeting, Wednesday, December 25th.