Work is underway on a new playground for Houston’s Steelhead Park.
Installation of the new equipment started earlier this month according to the district, with it being open to use by the beginning of June.
“We started the playground project last year, and we were really excited and invested in updating one of Houston’s really well known landmarks,” said Rebecca Tait, Director of Leisure Services.
The new playground has various blue coloured features which Tait said was done to reflect Houston’s connection to the lakes, rivers, fishing, and other resources in the area.
Another aspect of the playground’s design was ensuring the playground could be seen from Highway 16.
“So, that includes a really tall tower and on that tower is a 14 foot slide, and it’s a covered slide,” said Tait.
“Whether it’s raining or we got a little bit of snow, it’s a very accessible park throughout different seasons and it will be a very visual park from the highway.”
The project started last year with a survey hosted by the district to gather feedback on what residents wanted to see with the new playground.
Tait said upgrading district-owned playground was a priority voiced by the community along with having the new structure be more accessible.
“That includes pour in place rubber which is something that allows more accessibility on the ground, and tends to feel a bit more clean and a bit more safe in these kind of community spaces,” she said.
The project’s budget is $350,000 with 86 per cent of that coming from grants.
That includes from the Northwest Regional Benefits Alliance and some related to using pour in place rubber.
The district is planning a grand opening for the new playground with an exact date yet to be announced.
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