Case Study: Winterset City Park

Winterset, Iowa, may be classified as a rural town that feels cut off from the rest of the world by cornfields, but it attracts tourists from all over the country. In addition to being the backdrop and namesake of the book and eventual blockbuster film Bridges of Madison County, the city first made its place on the map by being the birthplace of John Wayne.

Nestled between farmland and meandering streams, Winterset, Iowa, now offers families another reason to visit—the awe-inspiring inclusive playground in Winterset City Park, rightfully named Play for ALL.

Meeting the Need

It became apparent that no other playground in the county met the specific design criteria of being truly inclusive. Children and adults with varying abilities were excluded from reaping the rewards of playing on a playground.

Local families found traditional ADA-compliant playgrounds to be a frustrating rather than joyful experience. Physical barriers, including non-unitary surfacing, made it very difficult for children and adults to navigate the play space.

When Winterset City Park was slated for renewal, leaders realized that this was the time to “Go Big.” Ensuring that the City of Winterset continues to be a community that fosters that fulfilling sense of belonging, “going higher” than the standards was the plan.

The Game Plan - Set Your Goals High

Surrounding yourself with play scholars and inclusive play experts was the only way to reach the level of design that the Winterset community desired. Equipment was not the same across the board. Vendors often used the concept of “inclusion,” but their respective design philosophies did not necessarily have an evidence-based foundation. A bid process by the City of Winterset weeded out those without extensive knowledge and universally designed equipment, highlighting the exact play partner that would help realize their vision.

Cunningham Recreation was selected to design the play area using GameTime playground equipment. Additionally, Cunningham Recreation’s community resource division, Play 4 ALL, would work alongside the committee to mobilize philanthropic resources. “Going big” and integrating inclusive features throughout the play space increases the cost. Investing in inclusion was obvious to Parks Director Sky Smothers. “Why would we not want to go above and beyond minimum standards?” he replied. The committee knew that it was the right thing to do.

Winterset Rotary Club joined forces with the Parks and Recreation Department and led the fundraising campaign together. This public and private partnership would significantly speed up the fundraising efforts. The City of Winterset concentrated on public funds like the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and the Rotary Club provided the 501c3 to attract corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and contributions from many families. Gifts ranging from small to very large began flowing into the project. To everyone’s amazement, most funding was secured within six months.

Rotary Club’s Jim Mease tearfully shared how amazing the “generosity of the community” was. So many people, groups, and businesses heeded the call for a place where everyone could play together.

Build It and They Will Come - The Impact

Play for ALL Playground is themed as “Traveling Through Madison County” and features customized, state-of-the-art features by Landmark Design, the custom play division of GameTime. Clark Tower, a well-known historical site, was replicated along with a covered bridge, which Madison County is famous for. John Wayne’s legacy was celebrated through a western-themed zip track. A climbing tractor paid tribute to the farmers, rooted forever in this part of Iowa.

Cunningham Recreation Sales Associate Tim Kisgen, who grew up in Iowa, had the idea to make the tractor older with the wheel falling off to illustrate that, at one time, old broken-down tractors abandoned in fields served as the playground for many. “When I was young, kids from rural communities had limited playground access, so we played on broken-down farming equipment,” he shared. So much time, effort, heart, and soul went into the design. This was a collaborative effort between Cunningham Recreation and the community to create the perfect place where everyone can play together.

Q&A With Sky Smothers, Parks Director of Winterset, Iowa