New Play Equipment Installed at Third Street Park

Loretta George

1 year ago

Third Street Park is just east of Hwy. 69 past the railroad overpass on the south side of the street. This is a view from Wilson Street looking up the hill, taken in May 2022.

A park on Third Street is in the process of new playground equipment being installed and stairs have been completed for better access.

A Building Up Our Neighborhoods Placemaking project has already repaired the bathrooms and existing structures, including the basketball goal. Last week stairs were made from the upper level of the park to the lower level.

This week additional playground structures will be installed and mulched, Rachel Carpenter, director, of the Healthy Bourbon Action Team (HBCAT), who is spearheading the project, said.

Bales of mulch await the final installations of playground equipment at Third Street Park on Sept. 15.

A project that was identified by the community through public forums, surveys, and a steering committee is making enhancements to Third Street Park, located just east of the train tracks on Third Street, according to Carpenter.

“The community members were able to develop priorities that they wanted to see happen at the park, Carpenter said in a press release. Those priorities are:

Fixing the bathrooms
Fixing the existing structures
Fixing the basketball goal
Adding additional playground structures
Adding stairs

“Fort Scott Pioneer Kiwanis provided volunteers to fix the existing structures, the basketball goals, and paint the bathrooms,” she said. “The City of Fort Scott provided an additional $10,000 that will go towards fixing up the bathrooms, fixing the pavilion floor, and surfacing for the existing structures.”

“This week Playscapes will be installing the new playground structures and putting down the rubber mulch surfacing,” she said. “The playground structures include a Temple Trolley, a Swizzler, and two bouncers.”

Mitch Welch, of Playscapes, Yates Center, puts up caution tape on Friday afternoon, Sept. 15, to keep people off the equipment that is being installed.

Marbery Concrete just constructed the concrete stairs that will allow community members to access the playground easier from the ballpark down the hill from the play area.

Tyler Sharp, Marbery Construction, Fort Scott, lays straw to prevent erosion following the building of the concrete stairs from the upper-level playground to the lower-level ball field at Third Street Park on Sept. 15.

“The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team (HBCAT) is addressing the Social Determinants of Health by building up Neighborhoods and Environment,” Carpenter said. “One tool to increase community vitality is through creative placemaking projects.”

“Through funding from Patterson Family Foundation and Blue Cross and Blue Shield Pathways to a Healthy Kansas, HBCAT started the Stronger Together: Building Up Our Neighborhoods placemaking projects.”

The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team office phone number: is 620-215-2562 and is located at 104 N. National, Fort Scott.