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Council directs staff to explore natural playground at Reinhardt Volunteer Park
Summary
Following a community survey of roughly 400–470 respondents, council unanimously directed parks staff to develop design options and cost estimates to repurpose the fly-fishing practice pond area at Reinhardt Volunteer Park as a natural playground.
The Grants Pass City Council unanimously directed parks staff to pursue design options and cost estimates to repurpose a fly-fishing practice pond at Reinhardt Volunteer Park into a natural playground.
Parks staff said the community survey received about 400–470 responses; while a pump track option ranked first overall, the parks advisory committee recommended the natural-playground option for the fly-fishing-pond site because the pump track is slated for Beacon Hill Park. Josh Hopkins (parks superintendent) described natural playgrounds as features that use wood, boulders and sensory elements—water, sand and climbing logs—rather than manufactured composite structures and said they can offer slower, sensory-focused play that benefits a broader range of children.
Councilors who had visited similar installations said they observed high usage and strong community response. Staff will return with estimated costs and potential funding sources such as tourism dollars or state parks grants; council asked staff to bring community-facing design options for public review before any capital commitment.
Next steps: parks will obtain vendor designs and cost estimates, return to council with funding options and run a public-comment phase on finalist designs.
