The Parks Framework Plan includes an assessment of the City’s current parks and equipment, analysis of the accessibility of the City’s parks and trail network, and recommendations for improvements for each neighborhood park. The recommended improvements include updated playground equipment, building accessible features so people of all abilities can use the playgrounds, and amenities such as seating and landscaping.
The City of New Albany works with the neighborhood’s HOA on equipment selection that will fit the needs of each park/playground. Neighborhood park improvements began in 2021 with Sumption Park in The Links neighborhood. The City partnered with The Links HOA to install new equipment, a shade structure, seating benches and a new accessible play surface.
For the remaining City-owned neighborhood parks (Byington, James River, North of Woods, Lambton and Planter’s Grove), the City used a Request for Qualification process to evaluate various playground equipment options and selected Earthscape, an award-winning custom built playground company for playground design and equipment. Once these projects are complete, all City-owned neighborhood pocket parks will have been updated, with all remaining pocket parks still being maintained by their respective subdivision’s homeowner association. City Council has prioritized these efforts as they recognize how important these spaces are to residents and their overall quality of life.
Earthscape playgrounds are designed to be inclusive, innovative, unique and challenging; spaces for testing boundaries, advancing physical skills and building confidence and independence. They are places to be enjoyed by people of all ages and all abilities. Inviting and engaging playgrounds encourage physical activity, imaginative play and social interaction. Thoughtfully designed playscapes entice children to climb, jump, swing, hang and balance. They are non-prescriptive and often without obvious routes or pathways so children can use their imaginations to play in new ways.
