Los Alamos County unveils renovated, ADA-accessible playgrounds at two parks

Families in White Rock and Los Alamos will soon see two long-awaited playground reopenings that go beyond fresh paint and new equipment. Los Alamos County said the renovated play areas at Piñon Park and the 37th Street Playground were completed by the Community Services Department to improve ADA access, reduce barriers for people with disabilities and bring aging park spaces into line with county planning goals.

The county scheduled ribbon cuttings for Tuesday, May 5, at 10:30 a.m. at Piñon Park, 10 Sherwood Blvd., White Rock, and at noon at the 37th Street Playground, 2137 37th St., Los Alamos. The county said the projects also reflect its broader strategic goal of inclusion, access and belonging, making the playgrounds part of the county’s core public infrastructure rather than simple cosmetic upgrades.

At 37th Street, the renovation included demolition of old equipment, pavement, retaining walls and fencing, followed by new play equipment, ADA-accessible sidewalks, irrigation, planting, a drinking fountain, mulch, site furnishings and decorative boulders. At Piñon Park, the work included demolition of old equipment, pavement, retaining walls, curbing, an elevated walkway and ADA ramps, then installation of new play equipment, mulch, site furnishings and boulders. The county said both playgrounds were rebuilt to meet standards and best practices associated with the U.S. Access Board’s Public Right of Way Accessibility Guidelines and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The county closed both playgrounds on Oct. 3, 2025, to allow safe demolition and rebuilding. At Piñon Park, the closure left the trails, pavilion and skatepark open, while the playground area remained off limits during construction. Los Alamos Landscaping & More, LLC handled the work during the shutdown.

The projects grew out of a longer planning process. County materials show school meetings in January through April 2024, a public feedback announcement on April 15, 2024, public meetings on April 20, 2024, survey results and a draft final concept on June 2, 2024, Parks and Recreation Board support on Aug. 8, 2024, and procurement work in 2025 before construction began.

The county’s 2024 ADA Transition Plan says curb ramp and sidewalk improvements are especially important in Los Alamos townsite and White Rock, underscoring why these playgrounds matter beyond one ribbon cutting. The Parks section now maintains 29 parks, 20 playgrounds, 600 acres of parks, 4,000 acres of open space and 58 miles of trails, a reminder that access at one neighborhood park sits within a much larger public system serving both communities.