When Fort Lupton, Colorado, issued an RFP for a complete park renovation, city officials didn't just want equipment — they wanted adventure. So they did something bold: They brought two playground designs to every elementary school in the district and let the kids vote. The playground standing in Community Center Park today exists because the children who would use it most had a voice in what it would become.

The project drew on five years of community input, third-grade classroom surveys and collaboration between the city and A to Z Recreation, the exclusive Burke representative partner for Colorado. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Recreation Manager Dave Cook made a point to recognize that partnership — and the people behind it. "The kids voted for the playground you see here today," Cook said, "with a special thanks to Michael Muriett with A to Z Recreation." He also credited students of the Fort Lupton school district and Boys and Girls Club members whose input shaped the final vision — a destination-style playspace designed to welcome everyone.

The playground anchors around a Nucleus Evolution^® play structure for ages 5-12 — three stories high with a spiral slide, rope mazes, multilevel bridges and Victory Climber. A separate area for ages 2-5 includes a Roller Slide, swings and an imaginative play storefront tucked beneath shade panels. MOVMNT^® brings electronic play to the park: Spin a wheel to power up the game, then race to hit illuminated buttons before time runs out. Throughout the space, an Inclusive Orbit and sensory panels ensure there's something for every child, spanning all abilities.

For Mayor Zo Hubbard, cutting the ribbon carried special meaning. "When I was a kid, we had zero recreational opportunities in Fort Lupton," she said. "My mom and a few other moms got together and said, we need to get recreation." Her mother, Marlene Stieber, joined the original 1959 committee and spent decades pushing for a recreation center. Sixty-five years later, her daughter stood in front of an award-winning playground that her community built together.

That recognition came in the form of a CPRA Columbine Award for Renovated Park Design — validation that what Fort Lupton created resonates beyond its borders. Families now gather where barriers once stood. Kids who helped design the space race across it. And a city that started with zero recreational opportunities has become a destination.

Some playgrounds get built. This one got chosen.

Looking to bring Play That Moves You^® to your community? Find your local Burke representative to start the conversation.