A playful gift for all children arrived early for the holidays as the Burns Harbor Park Department dedicated its newest playground equipment at a ribbon cutting Saturday morning.
Residents of all ages, Town Council and Park Board members gathered at Lakeland Park in wintery conditions to unveil the 7,185 square-foot play area. Complete with swings, slides, climbing wall, zip lines, seesaw and much more — the new playground replaces the previous 25-year-old equipment.
Moments before the dedication, as festive music played in the background, Park Director Kim Burton acknowledged those who helped complete the project. “I want to thank everyone for making this happen,” she said. “It’s been a longtime coming. We are all so excited, and I hope everyone enjoys the new playground.”
Several children in the audience immediately slid down the slides to commemorate the new playground. Holiday treats and hot cocoa were also served.
Burns Harbor parks purchased the $100,000-equipment from Landscape Structures this past summer. The playground features several amenities for children with disabilities including fibar mulch, accessible ramp to the playground area, accessible platform to the slides and seated zip line, to name a few.
Following the ceremony, Santa and Mrs. Claus arrived on the Burns Harbor Fire Department firetruck along with a horse and carriage. Later in the day, park-goers participated in the Santa Dash — an annual 3K run/walk around Harbor Lake.
Lakeland Park is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week all winter. Located at 1200 Lakeland Park Dr. just off the I-94 interchange, Lakeland is one of five recreational locations in Burns Harbor. The Park Department has expanded many of its amenities and events in recent years with Director Burton being recognized by the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns (IACT) in 2016 for her leadership and service. For more information, visit www.burnsharbor-in.gov/253/Park-Department or Like the Burns Harbor Park Department Facebook page.