Washington Park Playground

Grand Opening: October 29, 2015

Washington Park in Albany is a cherished city gem that draws residents and visitors alike throughout the seasons. From the vibrant tulips in spring to the picturesque leaf peeping in the fall, the park stands as one of Albany's most popular attractions. This historic park, situated in the heart of downtown, holds a special place in the city's park system.

Ribbon Cutting & Grand Opening**

Notice of Date Change
Due to inclement weather, the event has been rescheduled.
Please note the new date: Wednesday, October 29th.
We appreciate your understanding and look forward to seeing you then!

Wednesday, October 29, 2025*

  • Time: 3:30 PM

  • Washington Park – Playground Area

  • Free & Open to the Public

  • Join us as we cut the ribbon on the new Washington Park playground— a welcoming, inclusive play space designed for all kids to climb, swing, slide, and imagine. City staff, residents, families, and neighbors are invited. Bring the kids and your cameras!
90% OF Parks Renovated PNG
Special thanks to the Department of Recreation and Albany Public Library for help making this event a success! 

*subject to change
**By attending this event, you consent to being photographed and/or recorded. Images and recordings may be used by the City of Albany for promotional, marketing, and archival purposes in print and digital media.

Project Background

Washington Park Pathway during the Fall

The northern edge of Washington Park is home to a beloved playground, a popular destination for families with children. However, the current state of the playground falls short of meeting the needs of this bustling urban park. The equipment is not only inadequate but, in some cases, unsafe, posing challenges for safe supervision. Notably, the lack of fencing or a defined boundary adds to these challenges, and seating is insufficient.

Recognizing the need for improvement, the Washington Park Conservancy has taken the lead in planning a new playground that caters to the diverse users of the park. The goal is clear: to rebuild a playground that offers a safe, engaging, and accessible space for children of all abilities, promoting inclusive play. Accessible recreation facilities are seen as crucial elements in fostering strong, safe, and family-friendly communities, contributing to the overall identity of the neighborhoods surrounding the park.

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Schedule*

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PLEASE NOTE: The playground will close on Monday, June 23. It will be closed for the duration of construction and re-open in the Fall, 2025. Here is a map of the area that will be closed to the public.


We recommend you visit some of our other wonderful playgrounds while the Washington Park Playground is closed. For a full list of city parks, visit Department of Recreation's park page. 

Washington Park Project Schedule
Washington Park Rendering
Washington Park Rendering

Project Scope


The project team and steering committee facilitated a comprehensive and creative community engagement strategy to ensure an inclusive and transparent planning process. The goals for concept design process were to:

1. Engage and hear from our community about their ideas and concerns,

2. Assess existing conditions and understand existing constraints, and

3. Develop a conceptual vision to guide the future development of the new Washington Park Playground.

Website. In Partnership With

Project Goals

Be both a destination playground for visitors and an engaging playscape and gathering space for Albany residents;

• Offer fun, challenging, unique, and accessible play opportunities to children of all abilities and means;

• Honor the park’s historic landscape design and reduce environmental impacts;

• Include unique play structures and equipment that are not available in other city parks and playground;

• Provide opportunities for multi-generational users;

• Offer truly accessible and engaging play opportunities for children, families, and individuals of all abilities; and

• Serve as a gateway to the larger Washington Park and inspire visitors to become stewards of the park.

Existing Conditions

The five-acre proposed playground site is located in the northeast corner of Washington Park along Washington Park Road. The site is served by pedestrian and vehicular entrances along Washington Park Road as it intersects with State Street. The existing playground area includes a hilly grass lawn that is vegetated with mature trees, with pockets of playground equipment and structures scattered throughout the site. The current equipment is composed of pieces from several generations of playground designs. Much of these are now considered outdated, inadequate, and unsafe in some cases, and are not accessible or developmentally appropriate in others. The nearest restroom facility is located more than 600 feet away from the playground site at the Washington Park Lake House.

Washington Park Playground Concept Plan (23.04.01).pdf

There are no accessible routes into the playground from State Street or Washington Park Road

• Entry and egress thresholds are not clearly defined

• Site lighting is currently in place around the perimeter

• Play zones are not currently differentiated

• There are no accessible routes into the playground

• Some of the play equipment is in a state of disrepair

• Physical distance between play zones is considered vast by users

• Observation and supervision from one play area to another is difficult

• Play areas are not physically or developmentally contained

• User groups are not clearly defined

• Primary and secondary circulation systems are not clearly defined

• Proximity to Washington Park Road causes concern for parents and guardians

• Distinct lack of amenities for parents and caregivers

• Lack of shade is an issue in the summer.

For a detailed account of the Community Engagement process, 

see Washington Park Playground Concept Design. 

Playground Concept Design

Desired Activities and Play Zones

Based on the survey results and public meeting feedback, the following activity and play zone categories were identified. These topics defined the high-level themes for activities, spaces, and programs within the new playground.

 • Swing, spin & climb zone

• Tot spot (baby & toddler appropriate play area)

• Tot tops (baby & toddler slides)

• The Patio (gathering and programming space)

• The Meadow (historic feature & unprogrammed)

• Story Tree (central gathering & programming space)

• The Creek (water play)

• The Hill (slides & climbing)

• Parkour Zone

• Swingsville (for all ages & abilities)

• Picnic Plateau

• Music Circle (formalized space)

• Fitness Zone (for older children, teens & adults)

• Older Kid Climb & Adventure Zone

Functional Necessities

Based on the analysis of existing conditions, access, circulation, and feedback of functional necessities, the following diagram provides an analysis of major proposed entrance thresholds and circulation within and surrounding the playground area. Functional necessities for the playground include:

• Reinforced and well-defined primary and secondary entry thresholds

• A safety buffer from Washington Park Road

• Defined gathering spaces

• Better opportunities for observation of multiple children

• Clear hierarchy of paths (primary and secondary)

• Universally accessible paths, equipment, and amenities

• Safe parking and pedestrian road crossings

• Defined user group zones

• Preservation of existing trees & balanced ecology

• Work with existing topography

Washington Park Rendering

Rendering —Aerial View, Looking South

Washington Park Rendering

Rendering —Aerial View, Looking North

Washington Park Rendering

Accessibility


This diagram shows the intended levels of accessibility throughout the new playground. The pathways and play areas in blue indicate those that will encompass Universal Design—design standards intended to create an inclusive and welcoming environment and experience for all people of varying abilities. From a site design perspective, this means that the design will include ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) standards for accessible design in addition to other elements beyond technical requirements. ADA accessible areas, indicated in green, will meet ADA design standards to allow for children and visitors of all physical abilities to enjoy.


Washington Park Map

This project has been funded in part by a Environmental Protection Fund: Parks, Preservation and Heritage Grant from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

Related Documents

  1. Washington Park Playground - Bid Drawings.pdf
  2. Washington Park Playground Concept Plan (23.04.01).pdf

*Subject to Change

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