In a corner of Broad Commons Park in Doylestown Borough workers are creating a very special play area for families to enjoy.
With Henry Mercer’s historic Fonthill Castle as its inspiration, the playground’s replica tower takes center stage, while a slide that resembles a huge tree trunk, with faux logs serving as steps, should provide hours of fun.
Other features to come include a storytelling space, a We-Go-Round, a climbing bridge and a “nature-oriented” section. The entirety of the playground is fully accessible and can be enjoyed by all abilities, John Davis, the borough’s manager, emphasized.
The idea for the custom-designed space just “came to him,” said Davis, evolving from the overall Mercer theme of the long-awaited public green space. From the concrete pillars that mimic Fonthill’s, to the embedded Mercer tiles they hold, the park is uniquely Doylestown.
“We wanted to build on that in the play area. We knew a spaceship or pirate ship wouldn’t fit,” said Davis, with a laugh.
Planners even took photos of the interior of Fonthill, a national historic landmark, and hope to recreate some of those images within the playground’s castle.
Davis said too that the playground is designed for children of all ages and to be a comfortable space where adults can gather and relax, as well.
“We believe the additional features are merited in this case,” he noted. “We’re very happy with it.”
The play space is expected to be ready for kids by the end of September.
All the park’s amenities, from the play area, to a picnic space coming next year, to plans for a small amphitheater, “are meant to be more supportive of the overall park, where the essence is the formal lawn,” said the manager, crediting the borough’s deputy manager, Phil Ehlinger, with much of the park’s picturesque design.
The borough received a $250,000 matching grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to help develop the North Broad Street park. Chris and Whitney Chandor gifted $50,000 toward the approximately $450,000 price tag of the playground.
“We’re still hoping for another legacy donor,” added Davis.
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