Improved Playground - With Swings - Coming Soon to Borden Park

The 21-year-old playground at Borden Park will be replaced this spring by a whole new playground that features, among other amenities, swings.

Borden is the only city playground that doesn't have swings — a complaint that the city's Parks Operations Manager, Alan Buckenmeyer, has heard often.

The new playground will be built by Playworld Midstates of Holland, Mich. It will include 44 "fun-filled events" that accommodates 127 children ages 5-12, according to a design concept released by the city.

Rochester Hills City Council approved $129,716 in funding for the project this week. It's the last of the city park playgrounds to be replaced under a Capital Improvement Program begun in 2001 to upgrade the playgrounds in compliance with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. Borden's playground was set to be replaced in 2008, but that project was delayed after a downturn in the economy.

Playworld Midstates offered the city a 19.6 percent discount off the listing price of the equipment; the Holland company has built and maintained all of the park playground equipment in the city, and Buckenmeyer said he is satisfied with their service.