Grand Opening for the Bushnell Park Playground Saturday, November 17, 2018 – 11am

The Bushnell Park Foundation is excited to announce the new playground will be open on Saturday, November 17.  After a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11am, the playground will be officially open for the community to enjoy. Attending the ceremony will be Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, and Jay Williams, President of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. The carousel will be open for free rides from 12-1pm.

The Bushnell Park Foundation began planning for the new playground just over two years ago and worked with the city and members of the community to design a playscape that children of all ages and ability can enjoy and that also compliments the beautiful monuments nearby.  There are three main structures – the Pegagsus, a rope climber; a 2-5 year-old structure with interactive panels, slides and more; and a 5-12-year-old structure with slides, climbers, hand rings and a crunch station.  The design of the latter structure incorporates replicas of the Capitol dome and the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch.

“The Bushnell Park Foundation Board of Directors and our Playground Committee worked very hard with members of the community to make this a playground for all to enjoy,” states Lisa Karam, President of the Bushnell Park Foundation. “We thank everyone for their support and are thrilled that a playground is back in Bushnell Park. We hope the community will come out and celebrate with us on November 17!”

In addition to community support, this playground would not be possible without the financial support of the following donors:

  • City of Hartford Parks Trust Fund
  • Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
  • Beatrice Fox Auerbach Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
  • The Hartford
  • Robinson+Cole
  • Travelers

About Bushnell Park & the Bushnell Park Foundation

Bushnell Park was the first publicly funded park in the country, approved by Hartford voters on January 5, 1854.  It is named for the Reverend Horace Bushnell, who advocated for a public park in the center of the city as a place for people of all ages and walks of life to have a place to play, relax and enjoy. Bushnell Park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Bushnell Park Foundation is a private, non-profit organization established in 1981 by a group of citizens concerned about the condition of the Park’s landscape and landmark sculptures. The Foundation is dedicated to the protection, preservation and enhancement of Bushnell Park and works collaboratively with the City of Hartford. The Foundation has raised more than $9 million for capital improvement projects.

VIDEO - Preserving a Downtown Treasure: The Bushnell Park Carousel