McLaren Park - Louis Sutter Upper Playground Renewal | Project update, June 2026
Joelle Kenealey
We’re pleased to share the final plan for the Louis Sutter Upper Playground!
This plan grew from the invaluable input of community members who participated in our online survey and two in-person feedback sessions. We received nearly 140 survey responses and spoke in-person with over 150 community members. Thank you for sharing your insights and helping to develop a playground that best meets the needs of everyone in the community.
- Nature-themed “Duck Pond” theme – The “Duck Pond” theme was a clear community favorite, offering a wide range of play experiences for children of all ages and abilities while playfully referencing McNab Lake and other natural wonders of McLaren Park. In keeping with this finding, respondents also expressed a strong desire for a tall slide, a variety of options for swinging and climbing, and an overall greater density of play features.
- Challenging play and “thrill” for older children – High climbing routes, tower nets, monkey bars, fireman’s poles and a new “gap jumper” feature that challenges children to step onto a suspended pole and vault across a gap between platforms. Together the playground’s features offer height, speed, and physical challenge to keep older kids engaged and having fun.
- Engaging, age‑appropriate play for younger children – For ages 3–8, the duck, fish, and other nature-themed graphics encourage make‑believe play, storytelling, and social interaction. The wide variety of seesaws, springers, swings, crawl-throughs, and multiple play loops encourage longer stays and repeat use. As confidence grows, younger children can test themselves with higher platforms, more demanding climbs, and more challenging play elements.
- Seating and comfort for parents and caregivers – Seating is an integral part of this design, with comfortable seating and clear sightlines distributed throughout the play area.
Inclusive design is also integrated throughout the entire playground, with ADA accessible pathways and stairs, engaging ground‑level activities, multiple entry points, and clear visual connections between levels, aligning with best practices for inclusive play.
Together, these strategies create a playground that offers a wide range of experiences for children of all ages. The new Louis Sutter playground will be welcoming, challenging, and distinctive to the neighborhood, while remaining grounded in its natural park setting.
For more details on what we heard from the community about the new play equipment, check out our “What we heard” sheet.
We are on pace to start construction this fall, and our goal is to open the new playground before the end of 2026.
💬 Have questions or comments?
Feel free to contact the project manager:
Alex Schuknecht
Please visit the project webpage at:
McLaren Park - Louis Sutter Upper Playground Renewal
If you would like to receive updates about the Louis Sutter Playground Renewal, please visit the News Flash section of our webpage and subscribe to "Rec Park Improvements: McLaren Park - Louis Sutter Upper Playground Renewal."
President
Joelle Kenealey
This plan grew from the invaluable input of community members who participated in our online survey and two in-person feedback sessions. We received nearly 140 survey responses and spoke in-person with over 150 community members. Thank you for sharing your insights and helping to develop a playground that best meets the needs of everyone in the community.
- Nature-themed “Duck Pond” theme – The “Duck Pond” theme was a clear community favorite, offering a wide range of play experiences for children of all ages and abilities while playfully referencing McNab Lake and other natural wonders of McLaren Park. In keeping with this finding, respondents also expressed a strong desire for a tall slide, a variety of options for swinging and climbing, and an overall greater density of play features.
- Challenging play and “thrill” for older children – High climbing routes, tower nets, monkey bars, fireman’s poles and a new “gap jumper” feature that challenges children to step onto a suspended pole and vault across a gap between platforms. Together the playground’s features offer height, speed, and physical challenge to keep older kids engaged and having fun.
- Engaging, age‑appropriate play for younger children – For ages 3–8, the duck, fish, and other nature-themed graphics encourage make‑believe play, storytelling, and social interaction. The wide variety of seesaws, springers, swings, crawl-throughs, and multiple play loops encourage longer stays and repeat use. As confidence grows, younger children can test themselves with higher platforms, more demanding climbs, and more challenging play elements.
- Seating and comfort for parents and caregivers – Seating is an integral part of this design, with comfortable seating and clear sightlines distributed throughout the play area.
Inclusive design is also integrated throughout the entire playground, with ADA accessible pathways and stairs, engaging ground‑level activities, multiple entry points, and clear visual connections between levels, aligning with best practices for inclusive play.
Together, these strategies create a playground that offers a wide range of experiences for children of all ages. The new Louis Sutter playground will be welcoming, challenging, and distinctive to the neighborhood, while remaining grounded in its natural park setting.
For more details on what we heard from the community about the new play equipment, check out our “What we heard” sheet.
We are on pace to start construction this fall, and our goal is to open the new playground before the end of 2026.
💬 Have questions or comments?
Feel free to contact the project manager:
Alex Schuknecht
Please visit the project webpage at:
McLaren Park - Louis Sutter Upper Playground Renewal
If you would like to receive updates about the Louis Sutter Playground Renewal, please visit the News Flash section of our webpage and subscribe to "Rec Park Improvements: McLaren Park - Louis Sutter Upper Playground Renewal."