A New Chapter Begins For Emerald Park Playground

Community Invited To Celebrate New Playground Sept. 30 Grand Opening

Steamboat Springs, Colorado-September 16, 2026-The wait is over: Emerald Park has a new place to climb, slide, swing, spin, ride and explore. The city will celebrate the opening of the Emerald Park Playground from 3:30-5:30pm on Wednesday, September 30, with a community celebration and ribbon-cutting ceremony around 4pm.

“This project gave us an opportunity to think beyond simply replacing an aging playground and reimagine what this space could be for the community,” said Interim Parks & Recreation Director Stephanie Munro. “We heard from residents throughout the process and worked to create a place that encourages kids to play, families to spend time together and people of all ages and abilities to enjoy Emerald Park.”

The Emerald Park Playground is the city’s largest playground project to date, transforming the former play area into a larger, modern and inclusive space. Native landscaping, new irrigation system, drainage improvements, and site furnishings complement the expanded play area and create a welcoming space for the community.

Kids can climb, swing, zip, spin and ride across the playground, which features two age-appropriate play structures, a 60-foot zipline, four slides, a two-person swing, a spinner and two digi-riders. Benches, tables with umbrellas and seating boulders provide places for families to gather, while sidewalks and a rubberized play surface improve accessibility and the overall experience.

Improvements extend beyond the playground itself. Drainage improvements addressed existing issues in this area of the park, while a modern, water-efficient irrigation system supports more sustainable landscaping and long-term maintenance. New concrete sidewalks and gravel paths create durable surfaces for navigating in and around the playground while native shrubs, grasses, flowers and trees add to the aesthetic appeal of the area and will provide shade once fully established.

Community input helped shape the project throughout the planning and design process. Concepts focused on destination play, discovery and learning, and water-conscious irrigation, with the goal of creating a space that encourages exploration and serves multiple generations.

“This is an investment not only in a playground, but in the community spaces that bring people together,” continued Munro. “Emerald Park is a place where families gather, people recreate and residents connect with one another. This project will add to that experience for years to come.”

The Sept. 30 celebration will give residents and visitors an opportunity to explore the playground, meet members of the Parks & Recreation project team and hear from city representatives. The formal ceremony will include remarks from Parks & Recreation and City Council, followed by the ribbon cutting at approximately 4 pm.

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Contact

Email Stephanie Munro, Interim Parks & Recreation Director, or call 970-871-7011

Email Patrick Campion, Parks Project Manager, or call 970-871-8208

Email Emily Hines, Marketing and Communications Supervisor, or call 970-871-7031