Children turn out to romp as first phase of downtown Kalamazoo’s Nature Playscape opens

The Children’s Nature Playscape at Bronson Park project is dedicated to transforming reclaimed greenspace into a nature park in downtown Kalamazoo where it is expected to foster the cultural, emotional, intellectual, physical, social, and spiritual development of children and families.

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July 21, 2022
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Fran Dwight – Children waiting for the gates to open at the Children’s Nature Playscape at Bronson Park.
Fran Dwight – A banner sets the stage for the grand opening
Fran Dwight – Bubbles helped create a festival atmosphere.
Fran Dwight – The gates were sybolically secured by a red ribbon.
Fran Dwight – Waiting for the fun to begin.
Fran Dwight – ody Brylinsky, Chair of the Kalamazoo Children’s Nature Playscape Steering Committee, offers remarks at the grand opening of Children’s Nature Playscape at Bronson Park.
Fran Dwight – Children waited for their turn inside the gates to the Children’s Nature Playscape at Bronson Park. .
Fran Dwight – 60th House District Rep. Julie Rogers offers remarks at the grand opening of Children’s Nature Playscape at Bronson Park.
Fran Dwight – Kalamazoo David Anderson talks about the opening of Children’s Nature Playscape at Bronson Park.
Fran Dwight – Sandy Bleisener, Principal at OCBA Landscape Architects, offers remarks at the grand opening of Children’s Nature Playscape at Bronson Park.
Fran Dwight – Native tall grass, shrubs and other plants will border the site.
Fran Dwight – Howard Tejchma, Moderator for First Congregational Church, offers remarks at the grand opening of Children’s Nature Playscape at Bronson Park. The church’s initial funding made it possible to purchase the property and begin the planning phase.
Fran Dwight – The gates opened and the children were off to try out the new playscape.
Fran Dwight – Use of the Children’s Nature Playscape on Bronson Park is free to the public.
Fran Dwight – Climbing and playing on huge wooden features.
Fran Dwight – Checking out the water feature.
Fran Dwight – Checking out the water feature.
Fran Dwight – The Children’s Nature Playscape is expected to foster the cultural, emotional, intellectual, physical, social and spiritual development of children and families.
Fran Dwight – Shoes came off so the children could go barefoot through the water.
Fran Dwight – Kalamazoo Department of Safety Chief Vernon Coakley watches the children enjoying the Children’s Nature Playscape along with Sgt. Andrew Werkema, head of the Community Policing Unit.
Fran Dwight – Checking out the wood.
Fran Dwight – Checking out the water feature.
Fran Dwight – Checking out the water feature.

Editor’s note: This story is part of Southwest Michigan Second Wave’s On the Ground Kalamazoo series.

Local youngsters helped swing open the gates to the Children’s Nature Playscape on Bronson Park as part of its grand opening on Friday, July 15. The event marks completion of the first phase of what will be one of the nation’s largest natural playscapes in an urban core.

Use of the Children’s Nature Playscape on Bronson Park is free to the public. It is designed to be inclusive and barrier free. Children and families of all abilities and backgrounds can come there to learn, grow and play together.

The playscape offers an accessible paved walkway, log benches for children, and artistic benches for adults. Native tall grass, shrubs, and other plants will border the site, which will also include play structures, turf, and a pondless stream. Signage will be inclusive and culturally appropriate.

Playscapes are nature-inspired landscapes where children ages 2-10 can engage in creative, unstructured play with natural elements in a park-like setting. Promoting use of natural areas by children helps reduce health disparities and builds environmental values in children as they grow to become future stewards of the Earth, says Jody Brylinsky, who chairs the planning Committee for the Children’s Nature Playscape. She notes that access to nature is a public health issue.

The grand opening marks the end of the first phase of the project at a cost of $1.2 million, with about $1 million raised so far. Initial funding came from First Congregational Church, making it possible to purchase the property and begin the planning phase.

Area foundations, nonprofit agencies and local donors provided additional support. Phase 2, estimated to cost about $600,000, will allow the Playscape to complete the natural setting with additional materials and final landscaping, including bringing in the native diversity of plants.

Bubbles helped create a festival atmosphere.
Bubbles helped create a festival atmosphere.

The Children’s Nature Playscape also is raising funds through a crowdfunding effort with a goal to raise $50,000 by July 24. If successful, the Michigan Economic Development Corp. will match that amount through its Public Spaces Community Places collaboration with the Michigan Municipal League and Michigan-based Patronicity. Details and a link to donate can be found here or here. Funds will go toward completing the first phase of the project.

Photos by Fran Dwight. See more of her work here.

ody Brylinsky, Chair of the Kalamazoo Children’s Nature Playscape Steering Committee, offers remarks at the grand opening of Children’s Nature Playscape at Bronson Park.
ody Brylinsky, Chair of the Kalamazoo Children’s Nature Playscape Steering Committee, offers remarks at the grand opening of Children’s Nature Playscape at Bronson Park.
Children waited for their turn inside the gates to the Children’s Nature Playscape at Bronson Park. .
Children waited for their turn inside the gates to the Children’s Nature Playscape at Bronson Park. .
Kalamazoo David Anderson talks about the opening of Children’s Nature Playscape at Bronson Park.
Kalamazoo David Anderson talks about the opening of Children’s Nature Playscape at Bronson Park.
Native tall grass, shrubs and other plants will border the site.
Native tall grass, shrubs and other plants will border the site.
Sandy Bleisener, Principal at OCBA Landscape Architects, offers remarks at the grand opening of Children’s Nature Playscape at Bronson Park.
Sandy Bleisener, Principal at OCBA Landscape Architects, offers remarks at the grand opening of Children’s Nature Playscape at Bronson Park.
The gates were sybolically secured by a red ribbon.
The gates were sybolically secured by a red ribbon.
Howard Tejchma, Moderator for First Congregational Church, offers remarks at the grand opening of Children’s Nature Playscape at Bronson Park. The church’s initial funding made it possible to purchase the property and begin the planning phase.
Howard Tejchma, Moderator for First Congregational Church, offers remarks at the grand opening of Children’s Nature Playscape at Bronson Park. The church’s initial funding made it possible to purchase the property and begin the planning phase.
The gates opened and the children were off to try out the new playscape.
The gates opened and the children were off to try out the new playscape.
Checking out the water feature.
Checking out the water feature.
Shoes came off so the children could go barefoot through the water.
Shoes came off so the children could go barefoot through the water.
Checking out the wood.
Checking out the wood.

Checking out the water feature.
Checking out the water feature.
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