Tuesday, Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation (CCPR) was awarded the 2017 Great Lakes Park, Facility and Recreation Program Award from Great Lakes Park Training Institute (GLPTI) for its Central Park West Commons Playground. This is the second award for the Central Park West Commons Playground since it opened to the public in October 2016. Earlier this year, the department also received the Indiana Park and Recreation Association Exceptional Park Design Award.
Awarded by GLPTI, one of the nation’s oldest career development programs for park and recreation professionals, this award is given annually to recognize parks, facilities, and programs that represent the cutting edge of the park and recreation profession in the United States.
The playground at West Commons has a futuristic design and offers children more than 25,000 square feet of play space. The structure is nestled into the side of a hill and incorporates universal design principles to encourage inclusion. Children using wheelchairs have access to lower level amenities as well as upper-level features with the use of ramps. The playground also offers three cave-like areas to provide respite for children who need quieter spaces during play.
“It’s been a pleasure getting to see the community enjoy all that our newest playground has to offer,” said Mark Westermeier, Parks Director for CCPR. “These awards are a true testament to the hard work put into West Commons by our many contractors, staff and partners.”
Adjacent to the playground is a splash pad imitating the nature that surrounds it. Spray features and geysers resemble cattails, flowers and animals. The splash pad is designed to provide relief from the heat and continues CCPR’s commitment to use environmentally friendly water management.
In addition to the play space in the park, West Commons also offers picnic shelters, restrooms, outdoor classroom space, open meadow, lagoon and boardwalk.