By David Markham
Contractors began work on Oct. 13 on improvements adjacent to the playground at Antioch Park located near the large shelter south of the Building A office building, as well as on a replacement of a section of trail along the South Lake Trail.
Project Manager Nick Ward-Bopp said this project will include the installation of two new accessible drinking fountains, improvements to water drainage, repairing and capping two stone retaining walls on the east side of the playground between the main playground area and Dodge Town, and adding new play features including large stepping boulders that will connect to the playgrounds to the east.
“The project addresses ongoing maintenance needs and also enhances play opportunities and connectivity between playground areas, creating a safer and more engaging experience for visitors,” Ward-Bopp said.
Dodge Town and adjacent playgrounds are not being modified as part of this project and remain open for use.
A small area of parking near the main playground shelter will remain blocked off during this project to allow the contractor to mobilize equipment and materials. Work on the playground is expected to be completed by mid-December.
Additional improvements to the main playground are planned for the second quarter of 2026.
“When temperatures warm up in the spring, we’ll complete landscaping around the playgrounds, remove the old rubber surfacing and some lesser-used play elements, and replace them with new poured-in-place surfacing and taller equipment designed for ages 5–12,” he said.
Assuming weather cooperates, it is anticipated this work will begin in April and finish by June. The shelter and playground will again be closed for this construction.
Also part of the current project is the replacement of several hundred yards of the South Lake Trail stretching from the South Lake Dam to just east of the Helen S. Cuddy Rose Garden.
“That section of asphalt trail had significant cracking and heaving, so it’s being replaced with a new concrete surface for improved safety and durability,” Ward-Bopp said.
This section of trail is expected to reopen in mid-November.
