$350K New Playground Coming To Warminster Community Park

WARMINSTER, PA —Warminster Community Park has had a rough summer.

There's been vandalism and birds that were poisoned. But its future is looking bright for summers to come based on plans that were recently announced by township officials for a new playground.

"Warminster Community Park will once again be a showcase for all of Bucks County," Supervisors Chairman Kenneth Hayes said.

Jessica Fox, director of the Warminster Parks and Recreation Department, presented township supervisors at a recent meeting with plans for a new $350,000 high-tech playground to replace the Hallowell Playground at Warminster Community Park.

That park had its grand opening on October 2003 and has served the children of the community well, but now conditions are starting to deteriorate, Fox said.

"Sometimes parks can push 20 years. But there's been so much use and exposure that it's time to move on," Fox said. "It was a heavily-used playground. Everyone knew it was the place to be in town."

Fox worked with consultant Will Hemler of General Recreation Inc. to create a design plan that honors the town's history yet offers features that focus on inclusion for all children, including wheelchair ramps and other seats for those with disabilities.

The new playground will be spread out to allow for more people and will have an asphalt base that is built like a schoolyard playground, Fox said.

The carousel design will include a zipline and regular seats along with inclusive seats as well. Fox said there's also a Hedra climber that children of all abilities will be able to use.

Another feature is the "We Go Round," which Fox said is like the teacup ride at Disneyworld. There's a new-age seesaw called the "We Saw" and a "Cozy Dome," where children can seek quiet and retreat inside while others climb outside, Fox said.

The playground also features a separate area for children between the ages of 2 and 5 years old.

"I know $350,000 sounds like a lot of money, but when you're building a large playground, it goes quickly," Fox said."

She said that township's parks superintendent will get a lot of the work installed as well to keep costs under budget.

Fox said she was hoping to order equipment this month with equipment at the existing playground to be removed in October.

She said site construction preparations would start in November with the playground installation expected sometime next spring.

Fox said she's targeting a grand opening for April 2024.

"You're blowing us away so far," Supervisors Vice Chairwoman Kathy Frescatore said. I love the uniqueness. My grandchildren are going to flip out."

"It's fantastic. It has a nice design and is very modern," Hayes said. "It's nice to see the upgrades."

Warminster Community Park has an area of more than 200 acres and contains a Recreation and Education Center building, two pavilions with bathrooms, soccer fields, baseball diamonds, basketball courts, a playground, a dog park, a storage yard with building, and several walking trails.

Township officials are seeking requests for proposals for security cameras that have been in the planning stages for some time but have recently emerged as a top priority after recent vandalism at Warminster Community Park and other township parks.

Township officials had reported graffiti being spray painted, basketball courts being damaged and also vandalism to bathrooms and Safetytown at Warminster Community Park.

In mid-July, Warminster Township Police reported that numerous birds were found dead after their feeding stations in an old tower at the park contained poison.