It’s time to play! KidsUp! The Next Generation of Play, an imaginative,
inclusive new playground built around a giant Ferry Boat play structure, opens Sept. 4 at
Battle Point Park on Bainbridge Island.

A 10 a.m. dedication will celebrate the playground opening, with a Trike Track parade,
music and food trucks planned for a day of excitement and fun for kids and families. The
event is presented by the Bainbridge Island Metro Park & Recreation District and
Bainbridge Island Parks Foundation, and sponsored by Play Creations and Landscape
Structures, Inc.

The playground centerpiece is the “M/V KidsUp!”, a custom-built, one-of-kind play structure
that evokes the Puget Sound ferry fleet. The two-level, 47-foot-long ferry was designed and
fabricated by Landscape Structures, Inc., equipment supplier for the playground.

In the vanguard of accessible playground design, KidsUp! sets an exceptional standard for
inclusion and safety. Elements like the wheelchair-friendly We-Go-Round spinner offer a
common play experience for all users regardless of mobility or development. All
playground areas are accessible, and extensive soft surfacing minimizes impact from falls.

Honoring Northwest stories and lore, the playground features climbable Orca whales, and
a Lookout Pier extending over the “Rotary Beach” sandy play area and hidden octopus
sculpture. Other highlights include a winding Trike Track through the center of the ferry, a
Sound Garden of outdoor musical elements, new swings, spinners and slides, and many
artworks among fragrant gardens of wildflowers and herbs.