RAPID CITY, SD — Effective this week, the playgrounds at Robbinsdale Park in Rapid City are closed to public access as Rapid City Parks and Recreation Department crews replace aging equipment with new features.
The existing equipment at the Park’s two playgrounds are three decades old and Parks officials indicate it has been increasingly difficult to find parts and pieces for repairs and upkeep.
“The new playground equipment will be replacing the existing pieces which are from 1995 and 1996. The playgrounds get a lot of use and the equipment have served a long and useful life,” said Rapid City Parks and Recreation Project Manager Darin Sabers. “The new equipment was thoughtfully planned with accessibility, inclusivity and sensory elements in mind.”
Sabers said the new equipment will include a popular ‘Zipkrooz’ zip line, similar to the one installed at the Sioux Park playground in 2023. The Robbinsdale playground zip line will also include a dedicated ADA-accessible bay. The playgrounds will also include accessible swings, platforms and other features to cover all age ranges and abilities.
Demolition of the existing equipment began Monday and it will take a few weeks for crews to get all of the equipment, concrete footings, pea gravel and edging removed. Officials indicate the sites will then be graded to accommodate the new equipment footprint. Crews will set the final grades and install new concrete perimeter edging for attaching safety surfacing turf. New access sidewalks will also be poured.
Parks officials hope to have the new playgrounds ready for public access by late spring. Once installed, the new equipment will be audited and certified by an independent playground safety inspector.
During the Robbinsdale playground closure period, Parks officials suggest parents and families seeking playgrounds with numerous features to check out Sioux Park, Canyon Lake Park, Memorial Park’s Legacy Commons area and Wilderness Park.
