Mercer Island hosted a grand opening for the completely refurbished playground at the South Mercer Playfields area on June 15, featuring a ribbon cutting, frozen treats and remarks from Mayor Debbie Bertlin.
“I would like to say welcome, and thank you, and most of all, I hope the kids have a super wonderful time,” she said.
The new natural-style, one-of-a-kind playground — the first in the region — replaces the former “Rainbow Park.”
The Mercer Island Parks and Recreation Department planned the new playground in collaboration with the Mercer Island Preschool Association (MIPA), which donated $40,000 toward the project. The contractor was Northwest Playground Equipment, Inc.
The “textures, natural colors and shapes allow all young children to interact with the beauty of nature on a smaller and safer scale,” according to its website, www.nwplayground.com.
Playground components include a log jam climbing structure, a web climber, a rock slide, arch swings, a sandstone bench, and a hollow log. The playground area is fully fenced.
Mercer Island Parks and Recreation staff members smile with kids on the log jam structure at the Island’s newest playground. Katie Metzger/staff photo
Community members celebrate the grand opening of a new natural-style playground on the south end of Mercer Island. Katie Metzger/staff photo
Kids climb the new playground at Mercer Island’s South Mercer Playfields. Katie Metzger/staff photo
