Eagan to Replace Walden Heights Park Playground

Get excited, kids, because Eagan is installing a new playground. City officials told Patch in an email that the replacement for the Walden Heights Playground is slated to be finished and open by mid to late November.

There were two playgrounds deemed for replacement in 2016, including River Hills Park and Walden Heights Park. Eagan currently has a total of 44 outdoor playgrounds located throughout the city in neighborhood and community park settings. The 44 playgrounds are reviewed for replacement by Park Staff as part of the playground replacement program; typical life of a structure is at 20 years and are budgeted for replacement accordingly.

Eagan staff conducts all site work including, removing the existing equipment, grading, installation of the new play structure/equipment and installation of a pea gravel safety surface. The dollars saved by the in-house labor is put into extra amenities near the playground such as additional benches or maybe a spring toy/other equipment, according to city officials.

Because regulations and guidelines pertaining to playgrounds change over time, older playground structures, once removed, generally cannot be reinstalled by the city or another entity as they will not meet the current safety requirements. The practice several years ago was that the structures were stripped of any useable parts and recycled and/or disposed of.

In recent years, the city has entered into a donation program with Kids Around the World (KAW). KAW is a nonprofit corporation that accepts donations of used playgrounds and reinstalls them for children in underprivileged locations around the world. They have recycled several playgrounds from Eagan and from other Twin City communities.

Image via City of Eagan