Nixa sets construction plan for $1M inclusive playground

The city of Nixa’s McCauley Park is set to undergo a nearly $1 million playground renovation later this year.

Nixa City Council last week authorized the city to sign a contract for construction of a new inclusive playground at the park, 701 N. Taylor Way. The park also is home to the city’s pool and community center.

The Nixa Parks & Recreation department announced plans for the playground in a news release.

“Nixa Parks & Recreation knows that play is fundamental to a child’s development, and children with all abilities deserve the opportunity to be socially accepted and included in play with their peers,” said Matt Crouse, Nixa Parks & Recreation director, in the release. “The new playground design aims to encourage interaction, break down barriers, foster friendships and encourage multigenerational play.”

Crouse said Chattanooga, Tennessee-based PlayCore Wisconsin Inc., dba GameTime, is the project’s general contractor. The company also is working with Charlotte, North Carolina-based Cunningham Recreation as equipment distributor for the project, he added.

Construction is expected to begin in the fall, with work estimated to wrap by the end of the year.

The new playground will replace the existing equipment in the park with inclusive features such as sensory seating, a motion sensor arch, a tube slide and an expression swing, according to the release. The park’s current equipment is 20 years old and has reached the end of its life cycle, according to city officials.

The park’s playground renovation has been a longtime plan for the city. The project is financed by the city from earmarked funds saved and accumulated over the past eight years, according to the release.