Will Anyone Miss the Playground at Arcadia Creek Festival Place?

More changes are coming to the downtown Kalamazoo area.

Specifically, it looks like we're saying goodbye to the playground area located within the Arcadia Creek Festival grounds.

Wait, Do Kids Actually Use That Playground?

Great question. But, I'm going to guess...not really, no.

An article from woodtv.com includes a quote from the deputy director of parks and recreation, Ashton Anthony, which reads,

The playground is 20 years old and the necessary parts to repair to safety standards are no longer available from the playground manufacturer. The slide was removed last summer due to it being broken and literally separating from the tower structure. There is general overall wearing on the entire structure and the surface has several areas in need of patching and is currently a safety hazard.

If any kids are playing on that playground...they probably shouldn't be.

What's Replacing It?

That's still up in the air.

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Apparently, there is a small possibility that a new playground will replace the old one. But, most likely, the space will be left open so future events can utilize it.

But, even if they forgo a new playground in that location, don't forget, a new playground recently opened in Bronson Park in June of 2022:

When Will it Be Removed?

As of now, the plan is to have the entire playground removed by mid-April of this year (2023), and will cost about $12,000 to remove.

Read more here.

Those who frequent the downtown Kalamazoo area have been noticing lots of changes lately. Not just with the playground but, with a few staple restaurants that have been in the area for decades.

Theo & Stacy's, for example, recently shut its doors:

In life, change is inevitable, right? Just like it's inevitable that, at some point, your child might accidentally cost you a LOT of money. For example: