After being closed for almost a year, Gum Springs Park will reopen this weekend with a new, modern feel and upgrades to its equipment.
At 10 a.m. on Saturday, the City of Shawnee will host its ribbon-cutting ceremony for Gum Springs Park, 11524 W. 67th St.
The roughly 9-acre park has been closed since June to undergo the $3.7 million project. Tonya Lecuru, Shawnee’s parks and recreation director, said that while the park has existed for decades, the upgrades make it feel new.
“It’s going to be a outstanding park,” she said, “I think the residents are really going to enjoy it and love it and make it a destination where people want to come.”
Changes include $1 million in playground upgrades
One of the main goals of the project was to modernize its playground, which was still using the original equipment from when it was erected.
“The playground was very dated,” Lecuru said.
New additions to the park include “Lunia,” a 30-foot-high faux-hot air balloon that kids can climb up to get an elevated view of the grounds. Other equipment was upgraded to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Other big changes were added to the park
The half-mile walking loop was repaved from an asphalt trail to cement, to be uniform with all other walking paths in Shawnee.
“The Shawnee standard is to have concrete trail, so that was really important,” Lecuru said. “It helps us with maintenance and making sure we maintain those year-round, over snow or any of the different activities. It’s easier to repair.”
The park’s four baseball and softball fields were also updated with improvements to the dugouts, fences and spectator seating area.
The park renovations fit with the city’s master plan
The renovations to the park are in accordance with the parks and recreation master plan, which is a part of the larger Imagine Shawnee strategic plan that was drafted in 2020.
The goal of the plan is to make sure the parks that need upgrades get them, regardless of their age.
“Everything doesn’t have to be new build or new locations,” Lecuru said. “We want to make sure we’re maintaining those areas that we already have, so that all neighborhoods benefit.
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