LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Later this summer, visitors to Fort Liberty Playland might find it besieged — by renovation efforts.
The play area will close August 4 so it can undergo a little TLC. it will reopen later in 2025, though a specific date hasn't been set. Liberty Township officials said the renovation efforts are expected to take several months, however.
Fort Liberty, located off Princeton Road between SR-747 and LeSourdsville West Chester Road, will get a new playground "designed to serve the needs of the community for generations to come," according to a press release from Liberty Township.
The playground was designed by Leathers & Associates, a Florida-based firm that designed the original play area back in 1999.
"We are thrilled to once again partner with Leathers & Associates, the same team that helped create the original Fort Liberty Playland," said Caroline McKinney, township administrator, in a press release. "Their experience and dedication to community-driven playgrounds align perfectly with our vision for Fort Liberty Playland 2.0."
Currently, the Fort Liberty Playland also provides access to a bike trail, bocce ball court, picnic areas and shelters in addition to the playground.
The playground is over 25 years old; in 2024, there were discussions around demolishing and instead replacing the playground, instead of renovating the existing design. That idea included trading the playground's wooden structure for a plastic, metal and poured rubber facility, but the plan was squashed by township officials after residents spoke out against it.
Hear what Liberty Township residents had to say about the park last August:
At a Board of Trustees meeting in August, the demolition plan was paused amid community concerns.
"This wasn't just a normal playground as we may have thought," said Trustee Tom Farrell at the August meeting. "We decided to put the project on hold and take another look to see if we can restore this, at the very least keep some of it."
The existing structure has reached its operational lifespan, per the board.
