Marshfield panel approves Forward Bank name, location and lights for Greasy Park playground

The Marshfield Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee voted to accept a $100,000 pledge from Forward Bank for a new playground at Greasy Park and approved the donor-suggested name "Forward Fun Zone," the park committee said during the meeting. The committee also approved the playground's placement on the north side of the park and a plan to install limited directional security lighting.

The naming and site approvals followed a presentation from the volunteer-led Greasy Park Playground committee. "The first letter there is a pledge for Forward Bank to donate $100,000 towards Greasy Park Playground," said Lindsay Stafford, nonprofit banker at Forward Bank, during the presentation. She told the committee the bank’s gift included naming rights and that a media release was planned.

The nut graf: the committee’s approvals clear key steps toward construction but do not finalize a single design. Committee members approved the name, location and security lighting now so the fundraising and permitting work can continue. The playground group said the project will still require additional fundraising and vendor selection before construction.

Most important details: the fundraiser presented two final design renderings and a budget target of $750,000. The group reported it had raised about $560,000 so far. "This is all dependent that we reach our goal of 750 or more. Right now, we're at, like, 5 60," the playground presenter said. The committee heard that the proposed playground footprint is roughly 19,900 square feet within a larger 25,000-square-foot site and that poured-in-place safety surfacing for the entire play area would cost far more than the current fundraising goal (a vendor estimate of roughly $28 per square foot was given for poured-in-place surfacing).

The presentation addressed site logistics and accessibility: committee members were told existing walking paths would be connected to the new play area so routes for wheelchairs, strollers and bicycles would be paved from pavement to pavement. The plans include a fenced 2–5-year-old area with poured-in-place surfacing in that fenced zone and a larger open area for 5–12-year-olds. Donors who give $1,000 or more were proposed to have name panels on a composite perimeter fence.

The committee also discussed low-level directional security lighting intended to deter late-night vandalism around the concession stand and restroom areas. The committee approved adding security lighting to the project budget; presenters emphasized the lights would not be field-level sports lighting but limited site lighting on shorter poles and with directional controls.

On motions and votes: the committee approved (1) the proposed name "Forward Fun Zone" (one abstention recorded from a committee member who said she works at Forward Bank), (2) the north-side site selection and (3) the security-lighting request. No final vendor contract was awarded at the meeting; presenters said the committee will return for an official final design blessing after vendor selection and final funding decisions.

Quotations in this story come from the meeting transcript and from the named presenters. The committee’s approvals set next steps: continuing fundraising to meet the $750,000 goal, final vendor selection, site preparation work with a local excavating contractor and a community outreach event planned for Aug. 12 to raise awareness and additional funds.

Ending: The playground committee said it will continue fundraising, refine renderings and coordinate required site work; the committee can bring back a final design for formal sign-off once fundraising reaches the level needed to secure the preferred amenities.