Zip line, spider web climbing added to Summerfield park
By Sarah Kessinger.
From the April 21, 2022 edition of The Marysville Advocate (republished with permission).
A new children's zip line and a spider web climbing station are among new features recently added to Summerfield's City Park. The effort, part of the town's CPR — Community Park Restoration — is gradually updating the park's infrastructure while adding a brand new playground structure and other attractions. "We've actually put in new playground equipment and a really neat zip line and spider web that kids can climb on," said Becky Wiebe, member of a volunteer committee organizing the park renovation. The updates and new park lighting are phase two of a three-phase plan. Earlier improvements included new lines on the tennis and pickleball court, adjustable basketball goals, and updated sand volleyball pit.
A zipline is among the highlights of the park’s new features and updated facilities. All of the play equipment has been improved or replaced.
Phase three includes a new shelter house and sidewalks. The current shelter house is being auctioned off on the Summerfield City Park Facebook page. In the meantime, the new equipment is up and ready for kids. There is also a rehabilitated geodome, monkey bars, swings and a Maypole. A generational swing is available with an adult seat and a child seat. There are other specialized swings. Once the park is completed it should meet Americans With Disabilities Act guidelines on sidewalks as well. "We want you to come and play. It's open for everyone to enjoy now," Wiebe said. Volunteers and their equipment have done all the installations and other park improvements. Young adult AmeriCorps volunteers helped with part of the earlier work.
"Our farmer guys are now busy planting, so when they have time again, we'll work on phase three," Wiebe said. Anyone who would like to donate to the project can still do so by sending checks to Summerfield CPR, P. O. Box 100, Summerfield, Kansas 66541.
Rubber mulch has been spread on the main playground, and wood mulch is the base for the zip line area. Volunteer Gay Frazee said the committee received two matching grants for the park project. One came from a federal Land & Water Conservation Fund and the second from Kansas Department of Health and Environment's Waste Tire Grant fund. The project's fundraising paid for grant match requirements.
Volunteers work on the shelter house for the Summerfield Park.
Frazee said the waste tire grant involved 1,241 volunteer hours for phase two, plus 439.5 hours of donated equipment and 107,755 pounds of rubber mulch crumbs as playground covering.
A volunteer crew spent weekends in March assembling a new playground at Summerfield’s park. The equipment is part of a restoration of the entire park.
"Every recycled tire produces 15 to 20 pounds of mulch," Frazee noted, "so we used well over 6,000 recycled tires in our playground!"
Local children, Frazee said, are enjoying the updated park.
"They think it's the best thing ever."