June 30, 2026
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Macpherson Park in the Town of Kincardine is being transformed into a fully-accessible, inclusive, destination-style play space that will serve families of all abilities for years to come.
That's the word from Mike Di Giovanni, manager of parks and facilities, in an update posted Monday.
With support from Canadian Tire JumpStart Charities and municipal funding, the new park will be rebuilt, and is designed to offer a high-quality, barrier-free experience for residents and visitors.
The aim is to create a signature recreation space on Kincardine’s waterfront - one that reflects community priorities, modern accessibility standards, and long-term durability.
The current playground equipment is aging and no longer meets the needs of today’s families, states Di Giovanni. With new funding opportunities through Canadian Tire JumpStart Charities, the municipality has the chance to create a more inclusive play space - one that will support physical activity, sensory play, social interaction, and accessibility for children of all abilities.
Using feedback from the community, the Kincardine accessibility advisory committee, project partners, and the final public survey, the playground design has now been finalized.
The renderings below showcase the future playground and highlight the accessible and inclusive features that will create a welcoming waterfront destination for children and families of all abilities. Updates made through the engagement process include the addition of a double slide, a tot swing, the community-selected shade structure, and an updated colour palette that reflects community feedback.
The playground will remain within its current footprint at Macpherson Park, with the lower portion of the park remaining unchanged. No trees are planned to be removed, and new plantings are included as part of the landscaping design.
The new playground surfacing will be 100-per-cent poured-in-place rubber to support accessibility and inclusive play.
Di Giovanni states that the municipality appreciates all the participated in the project's engagement process through public sessions, surveys and consultation with the accessibility advisory committee and project partners.
Key themes identified throughout the engagement process included:
Accessible and inclusive play opportunities for children of all abilities
A ramped play structure with accessible routes throughout the playground
More swings and a greater variety of swing types
Shade within the play area
Accessible connections to surrounding amenities and pathways
Comfortable seating and rest areas for caregivers and visitors
A final design feedback survey received 94 responses. Results showed strong support for the proposed design, with:
75 per cent of respondents rating the playground as a well- or very well-designed inclusive and welcoming community space
78 per cent of respondents rating the accessible connections to surrounding amenities as well- or very well-designed
61 per cent of respondents rating the number of rest areas as well- or very well-provided
Construction is set to begin in September, pending final design completion and procurement timelines. The asphalt pathway will be closed and the area around the park will be fenced off during construction.
For more information, visit www.kincardine.ca/our-services/projects/macpherson-park-inclusive-playground
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