East End Amenities & Lions Park

Lions Park Playground Replacement Project Update | April 22, 2026

TAKE THE SURVEY

Lions Park playground is getting an upgrade!

In 2025, the City engaged in multiple community engagement touchpoints to learn what our community would like to see in the redesigned playground:

• Two in-person pop-ups in Lions Park
• Survey opportunities via Guiding Golden
• Two presentations to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB)
• Three community meetings held in conjunction with the Heart of Golden East Zone Amenities project

What we heard through that process:

• Water feature
• Preservation of existing mature trees
• Preservation of flat turf space
• Increased seating and shade
• Nature play design and aesthetic
• Natural color scheme
• Wood, logs and other natural materials
• Multiple slides, sensory play elements, designated climbing area, swings
• Irrigation and drainage improvements throughout the park
• Accessibility considerations
• Equal support for playground location remaining in same spot or relocating to a more central location within the park

Using this feedback, the City has prepared three design concepts for the new playground.

In all three proposed concepts, preservation of open lawn space and existing trees has been prioritized. Each concept will also feature:

• Irrigation upgrades throughout the park
• Minor drainage improvements
• Portable restrooms
• Increased seating options
• Bike racks
• Increased shaded space
• Maintain east pavilion and stone picnic tables along 10th Street
• Removal of sand volleyball court

Concept One features the new playground location shifted slightly with additional planting along the street to amplify safety, larger play areas with nature aesthetic playground materials on a similar footprint to existing playground, no water feature, a new pavilion, accessible path from 10th St. to GCC and 10th St. to play area, an outdoor classroom located on the hillside with garden, and new plantings at play areas.

• Outdoor Classroom - Terraced gathering area to support park and community center programming and provide space for informal gathering.
• Playgrounds - Nature-themed traditional-style play equipment will include age appropriate and inclusive swings, climbers, and slides. Equipment is designed to encourage active, imaginative play, build motor skills, and foster creativity.

Concept Two features the new playground located in the same place as the existing structure reducing costs for landscape restoration, traditional playground materials and aesthetic, a circulating water feature with hand pump activation, accessible path from 10th St. to the play area, no outdoor classroom, and maintaining existing vegetation - planting is limited to turf restoration.

• Water Feature - Play stream bed with potable water activated by hand pump.
• Playgrounds - New play equipment will include age appropriate and inclusive swings, climbers, and structures with slides. Equipment will be selected to encourage active play, build motor skills, and foster creativity and imaginative play. Playground materials and aesthetic will be “traditional” similar to existing.

Concept Three features larger play areas at the hillside using exiting topography to create slides and climbers featuring nature play design and materials, no water feature, one new pavilion, accessible paths from 10th St. to GCC and 10th St. to play area and a gravel path at native gardens, an outdoor classroom with native garden with areas for gathering and environmental education, and new plantings at play areas.

• Native Garden - Landscaped area for outdoor classroom or informal gatherings, and environmental education with native plantings to support ecological health and habitat.
• Playgrounds - Terraced nature play areas at the hillside. Hill slides and climbers will connect the terraces. Nature-themed play equipment will include age-appropriate and inclusive swings and freestanding equipment. Playground materials will be more natural, in line with nature play design.

Please join us at one of our in-person pop-up events or the community meeting to review the design concepts, learn more about the project, and provide your input.

• Playground Pop-Ups at Lions Park Playground
  • RESCHEDULED DUE TO WEATHER - Monday, April 27, 2026 – 9:30-11:30 a.m.
    • Join us instead on Tuesday, May 5, 2026 – 9:30-11:30 a.m.
  • Saturday, May 2, 2026 – 9:00-11:30 a.m.
• Community Open House Meeting at Golden Community Center
  • Tuesday, May 5, 2026 – 5:30-7:00 p.m.

Can't make the in-person engagements? Review concepts and provide your feedback via the online survey. The online survey will be open from April 24-May 11, 2026.

The Heart of Golden project aims to make the Clear Creek Corridor more usable and desirable for residents while providing needed space for Police and City services. Phase 1 of the Heart of Golden intends to move the Police and Municipal Building from the Creek Corridor to east of Washington Avenue. Phase 2 includes refining the Creek Corridor with more resident-specific amenities.

Explore this page to learn about the East End Amenities project and updates, and engagement opportunities along the corridor, including at Lions Park.

Please send questions to cityofgolden@cityofgolden.net.

Project Update | Dec. 17, 2025

Following several months of community engagement and input, a draft East Zone Amenity Vision Plan has been prepared. The draft document includes recommendations for all of the city properties in the Heart of Golden East Zone, located east of Washington Avenue.

The draft document will be presented to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board at their January 15, 2026 meeting and to City Council February 10, 2026.

Community Engagement

Meeting #10 was held on Aug. 19, 2025, on the East End Amenities at Lions Park.

• View the Concept Boards provided at the meeting.