Every spring, summer and fall, Wood Park is filled with teams and players who use every inch of the 20.3-acre recreational hub known as the Town Center of Cinnaminson.
On special events such as the summer concert series, the Christmas tree-lighting ceremony and Cinnaminson Appreciation Day, residents meet neighbors while their children play in the area of the Pomona and Riverton roads intersection.
Created and enlarged over the years as the township gradually purchased parcels of land from the well-known Wood family, the park has been upgraded many times, most recently with several lighted ballfields and a new concession and bathroom building.
On the warm spring evening of April 15, township officials continued to provide great recreational space for residents by opening a new playground already dotted with kids enjoying its colorful climbing structure, slides and swings.
Mayor Ryan Horner happily used giant scissors to cut the ribbon to the delight of the youngsters and the more than 50 people gathered for the celebration.
“The playground is brand new and fully accessible for everyone,” he noted. “There is a new surface that feels like walking on foam, and it’s safe for a wheelchair or a walker.”
“This is the first time I’ve been on the surface,” said Councilman Albert Segrest, noting the new poured rubber flooring that “is soft, and a great improvement” for the safety and accessibility of playground users.
“We began demolition of the old playground in January and the weather held us up a little,” shared Department of Public Works Superintendent Kevin Gauntt, who was pleased with completion of the playground now open to children.
Township Administrator Eric Schubiger said Cinnaminson officials began planning for the new playground two years ago and secured a $155,000 Burlington County Parks Development Grant. The township committee then allocated $107,000 of capital funds, for a total cost of $262,000.
“We got a lot for our money,” Schubiger acknowledged, adding that state-of-the-art playground equipment is safe.
Overall, Wood Park has six softball fields, including one with lights; a large, multi-purpose lighted field; five tennis courts; a practice wall court; two lighted basketball courts; and a gazebo. It abuts the Burlington County Footlighters Playhouse on ground that was also purchased by the township from the Wood family in the 19th century.
The building housed the historic former Eleanor Phillips School, constructed in the 1890s for African Americans before desegregation. It later served as an elementary and special needs school, and hosted the board of education before being leased in 1983 and purchased by the Footlighters in 2000.
Both the Playhouse and Wood Park parking lots fill up with cars on busy weeknights in the early summer as youth and adult softball teams, basketball players and tennis enthusiasts take equipment out of their car trunks for another night of outdoor games.
And now in the mix is a brand-new playground for all.
Mayor Ryan Horner (third from right) gets ready to cut the ribbon at the new Wood Park Playground in Cinnaminson surrounded by excited children and township officials on the evening April 16.
