The Ecotarium asked the Community Preservation Committee for $150,000 to rebuild pathways and replace degraded natural elements at its Nature Explore certified playground, work the museum said is needed to restore safety, accessibility and long‑term durability.

Noreen Johnson Smith, Ecotarium president and CEO, said the playground sits in a lower wooded area with a stream and connects to the Lower Pond trail system; the playground was last renovated in 2012 and uses natural materials that have reached the end of their lifespan. “A big part of this is the pathways within the play space that need to be rebuilt and rebuilt to current standards for ADA accessibility,” Johnson Smith said. She added the Ecotarium hosts 137,000 visitors annually, including about 41,700 Worcester public‑school first graders who visit on free field trips.

Staff noted the city is willing to hold a recreation restriction on the parcel where the work will occur. The Ecotarium said the project will prioritize accessible pathways and major play features and that consumable elements (pots, pans, small play pieces) would be funded from other sources. If funded, the Ecotarium planned to start construction in winter to be ready for next spring’s opening.

Members asked whether the playground requires admission to access and Johnson Smith said the museum operates an admission point for the campus but runs many free and discounted access initiatives, including deeply discounted admission for EBT cardholders and many school programs. The CPC will evaluate and score the application before making funding recommendations to City Council.