Parents, rejoice – a new, more inclusive playground is coming to Trailblazer Park in downtown Travelers Rest.
The playground, which broke ground earlier this month, will be located within the 13-acre park’s municipal complex next to the community garden, said Travelers Rest Mayor Brandy Amidon.
Hailing it as a “destination playground,” Amidon said features will include a low ropes obstacle course, swing sets, a zip line and a wheelchair-accessible merry-go-round as well as picnic tables, a covered pavilion and separate play areas for younger children and toddlers.
Funding for the playground, estimated to cost $390,000, was a joint effort between the city of Travelers Rest, Greenville County and four local businesses: Saint-Gobain Glass, T&S Brass, George Coleman Ford and Duke Energy.
“We all came together and we agreed, ‘Let’s make it unique. Let’s make sure it’s something that isn’t just a set of swings and a slide but a destination point,’” Amidon said.
The city’s priorities for Adventure Park at Trailblazer, as the playground will be called, were for more accessible playground equipment that also fit the more natural aesthetic of Travelers Rest, Amidon said.
“We’ve done a great job activating the park with the music series and the farmer’s market, but it just didn’t have something that younger kids could run around and play on, so this is going to fit the need for more active play,” Amidon said.
Greenville County spokesman Bob Mihalic said the county, which owns half of Trailblazer Park, contributed $200,000 to the project.
“Greenville County and the city of Travelers Rest have partnered to deliver an active, natural-style destination playground in the center of Trailblazer Park with a unique mix of traditional and adventure elements,” Mihalic said in an email.
Construction is expected to be completed by the summer.
