THE BRIGHT SIDE
The second-largest indoor PlaySmart playground has opened in Walworth County.
The 5,000 square foot Lakeland Park is the new youth recreation center inside Lakeland Community Church located on Highway 67 in the Town of Delavan. The playground at Lakeland Park measures 45 feet long by 20 feet wide and features 16 different play element modules, including slides, balance tracks and pendulum swings. The park also features a large indoor playscape, sensory and interactive play areas, and a basketball zone. A $750,000 renovation and repurposing of the congregation’s former 400-seat sanctuary make this child’s dream land a reality.
One of the biggest challenges about living in Wisconsin is that about six months out of the year there’s not a lot to do, or any way for kids to burn off excessive energy. Children need room and an opportunity to run, play, learn and explore. There aren’t many options for that in the immediate area in or surrounding Lake Geneva. The church had always prioritized its adult spaces and decided it was time to invest in the ‘NextGen’ department to better serve families. The church spent $1 million remodeling its NextGen ministries facilities, along with $750,000 for the indoor park, which is now home to the largest indoor playground in Walworth County, and the second largest in Wisconsin.
There is also an area for adults to gather, socialize and build friendships and relationships while the children play. No, the children cannot be dropped off and left at the facility. It’s not intended to serve as a childcare place. The custom designed PlaySmart installed at Lakeland Park includes some special features, including Dragon’s Lair, Magic Carpet and Rodeo Rider. There is also a specially designed Totland for little children, with four attractions, including a slide and climbing obstacles. Other Lakeland Park attractions include an interactive gym/playground, fitness gaming’ and a fitness technology area, featuring a 26-foot-high-definition active video game wall loaded with entertaining educational and physical fitness content and a net-contained basketball area featuring a 3-point line and a height-adjustable 6–10-foot basketball hoop that can accommodate a variety of age groups. The park will be supervised by ‘Park Rangers’ there to greet guests, answer questions and supervise park operations.
Initial operating hours for Lakeland Park will be from 9 a.m. to noon, Monday through Wednesday, also on Saturday for extended hours running from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., as well as on Thursdays and Fridays. Use of Lakeland Park is reserved for the congregation on Sundays and on Wednesday nights for Lakeland Church’s youth groups. You don’t have to be a member of Lakeland to come during any of the published public hours and there’s absolutely no charge. The church leadership team and the entire congregation want all the surrounding communities to come, bring the kids, and check it out.
New Playground at Lakeland Park
