Brookdale Park: What Kind of Playground Do You Want?

Good news! Brookdale Park will be getting a completely new playground in 2015. Brookdale Park Conservancy, working in partnership with Essex County, is sponsoring an online survey to get input from local parents and caregivers of playground-­age children who use the playground. The quick survey (10 questions, takes an average of 4 minutes to complete) asks for feedback on how participants use the current playground and what they’d like to see included in the new designs.

Earlier this fall, Essex County commissioned playground inspections throughout their park system and, at Brookdale Park, many components of the original play equipment (installed in 1997) as well as the safety surfacing and enclosing fences were identified as being in need of costly repairs and replacements. Given the age of the overall structures, much of the work would have also required custom retrofitting. As a result, Essex County has decided to replace the entire Brookdale Park playground. The area is being redesigned to make it more secure for caregivers
while replacing the rapidly deteriorating play structures with safer, modern day equipment.

“As chairperson and a mother of three young children, I was thrilled when Essex County approached our organization to help gather feedback from our members and the general public,” said Brookdale Park Conservancy Chairperson Mollie Smith. “This is a great opportunity and a simple way for local parents and caregivers to help ensure that our new playground meets the needs and wants of our community.”

Participants can help by giving feedback through the survey and by sharing the link (https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1913429/Brookdale-Park-Playground-Survey) with others that they know use Brookdale Park’s current playground.