Playground Lifecycle: Woodbine

Project Update - October 2025

Following our latest safety inspection, the playground at 40 Woodglen Road SW has been closed. The existing playground equipment and fall surface must be removed due to its age, condition and safety concerns. We understand that changes to beloved community park spaces can be difficult. We appreciate your engagement and understanding as we work to ensure our parks and playgrounds remain safe, inclusive, and enjoyable for all.

Engagement Summary

Having completed three progressive rounds of engagement on this site we will continue to utilize and assess the collective feedback from community, in conjunction with the outlined parameters of our asset management, to determine the future options for this park space.

All three What We Heard Reports are posted on this page along with FAQ's to give further background on Lifecycle work being done within the community.

Round 3 Engagement Details

In our 3rd and final round of our progressive engagement the following process and information was provided:

We were seeking community feedback on the park space at 40 Woodglen Road SW once the playground equipment is removed.

Based on the feedback from the two previous rounds of engagement, we presented three revised options for your consideration. The following maps below outline these three options. Each map showed options, and we got your preference choices for the space.

*Please note, the final placements of noted features are not exact, and adjustments may be required during installation.

The What We Heard report for round 3 is now available here.

Why This Playground Is Being Removed

The existing playground equipment is nearing the end of its lifecycle and must be removed to ensure public safety. The typical lifespan of playground equipment is 15–20 years. Due to limited funding and a shortage of specialized contractors, not all aging playgrounds in the city can be replaced at this time.

In 2024, Woodbine was identified as one of six Calgary communities with more playgrounds than The City's benchmark of one playground per 200 children. A lifecycle analysis identified three playgrounds with aging equipment that were suitable for either equipment replacement or reimagining with alternate amenities.

Decisions Made from Previous Engagements

Based on earlier rounds of community input, The City has made the following decisions:

12 Woodglen Close SW – The playground will be replaced with new and upgraded equipment (construction expected between July–October 2025). - creating a new and refreshed playground at this location in the community.
49 Woodmark Crescent SW – The playground will remain unchanged. - not yet at full end of lifecycle.
40 Woodglen Road SW ("Hidden Playground") – The playground equipment will be removed, and new amenities will be installed.
- No trees will be removed
- No asphalt will be added
- Existing park benches will stay in place
- A full playground remains accessible within a 5-minute walk
*see map below for locations

The City of Calgary is launching a third round of community engagement to collect feedback regarding the future of the park at 40 Woodglen Road SW, also known as the "Hidden Playground."

Next Steps

Thank you for your time and input we will continue to review input received in consideration of future site plan. The playground has failed its most recent inspection for safety and is now fenced off and closed for use.

This work is a part of a City-Wide playground asset management plan, to view the main Playground Lifecycle Page please click here.

FAQ's and Information

Calgary’s playgrounds are great places for citizens of all ages to relax and play. The City maintains more than 1,100 playgrounds.

As playgrounds require lifecycle work, The City looks at maximizing use of the space to ensure it continues to meet community needs. We assess the need by looking at demographics and working with the community to determine whether the space is best suited as a playground, or should be transformed into another type of community gathering green space.

Safety for park visitors is our first priority, and each playground is inspected seven times a year to ensure Canada Safety Association guidelines are met. Parks works with residents, community associations and other interested parties to discuss options prior to the lifecycle replacement.

What Lifecycle Means - The City of Calgary currently manages and maintains over 1,100 playgrounds, with 408 playgrounds over 20 years of age. The City budgets $1.2 million per year to replace 10 to 12 of these aging playgrounds.

As playgrounds come to the end of their lifecycle and as community demographics change, The City, in partnership with the Community Association and residents, can explore how these community gathering places can better meet the needs of residents. This may involve improving the existing play structures to align with current play and safety standards or reimaging the space to better serve the community needs, which results in right-sizing the number of playgrounds in communities that are overserved. Lifecycling must be considered in alignment with budget availability and maintenance standards.

To view a more detailed summary of these standards feel free to click here (or view attachment at bottom of this report).

As we know, green space is highly valued by Calgarians of all ages. When a playground or park is transformed with new equipment or use options, it can become more valued by broader base of community residents. By seeking to improve and enhance certain playgrounds in combination with the creation of new community gathering spaces, we look to provide opportunities for Calgarians to connect with nature and each other in a variety of ways while meeting the needs of all within the community.

Starting in summer 2024 we completed an initial round of Engagement to shape the direction of two playgrounds in the community of Woodbine. Based on the feedback we collected from community members and interest holders, we have developed a new plan of action to upgrade and enhance these parks and playgrounds.

The playground at 49 Woodmark Cr SW (WBN427) will remain as-is and will not be changed.

The playground at 12 Woodglen Close SW (WBN325) has reached the end of its lifecycle and the equipment will be removed and replaced with new playground equipment.

We heard from you that swings and slides are important and we will work to incorporate this feedback in the new playground design.

The playground at 40 Woodglen RD SW (WBD426) is at the end of its lifecycle at this site is open for engagement. At this park, the playground equipment will be removed, and the park will be reimaged with new amenities that invite play, like games tables, ball toss or tether ball, or areas to gather such as picnic tables or other seating options.

Please feel free to view the WWH reports links for each round.

Initial plans following engagement click here - third round of engagement being conducted to refine the re-imagine plans at 4o Woodglen Rd. SW.