Tower Park, located in Fort Thomas, Kentucky, was established in 1972 on the former site of a military fort and barracks created toward the end of the nineteenth century. Today, it consists of almost 87 acres of hillside forest, sports facilities, playgrounds, hiking and biking trails, memorials, a large, iconic limestone water tower, and two recreation buildings for events and activities. The site is also home to the Fort Thomas History Museum, where visitors can learn about the history of the fort. The park serves as the primary civic space for the city as well as a regional destination for people throughout Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati.

A New Vision
In 2022, Human Nature, Inc. was contacted by the city to evaluate the condition of the existing playground that was built in the late 1990s. During the assessment, it was determined that the playground did not meet current ADA and safety standards. Based on these observations, the city decided that a new play environment was needed. Beyond a simple replacement, they wanted to build a place-specific, inclusive destination playground that would fit into the historic context of the park and the adjacent Midway historic district.

Fort Thomas hired Cincinnati-based landscape architecture firm Human Nature, Inc. and national civil engineering firm Verdantas to collaborate on the development of a master plan for the new play environment. The design team engaged with several stakeholder groups - including several meetings with mothers of special needs children - to gather input on the playground's organization, vocabulary, materials, and accessibility. The stakeholders felt strongly that the design should acknowledge the history of Tower Park and fit in with the park's established aesthetic, which the Landscape Architects had developed through the implementation of several other projects within the park like the shelters, restrooms, and amphitheater. There was also a desire for the new play environment to offer a wide range of play experiences for children of all ages and abilities.

 
Passing Down History
The resulting play concept captures the spirit of the surrounding park and the Fort Thomas community by building upon the military history and aesthetic of the area. A gateway feature resembling a nearby shelter welcomes visitors to the playground. The limestone columns and seat walls that define the perimeter of the playground echo the nearby historical limestone tower built in 1890. Recycled brown plastic cladding on the composite play features - including the large, central tower - resembles wood and expresses the fort theme desired by the community.

At the top of the hill sits a plaza designed to honor the city's namesake: General George Henry Thomas, the most effective Union general in the Civil War. A bronze sculpture of General Thomas by local artist Matt Langford sits atop a limestone plinth in the plaza against a backdrop of stone seat walls and flags.

Ultimate Connectivity
One of the more challenging aspects of the project was maximizing accessibility to the play features. The site is essentially a topographic bowl with easy access from one side and steep slopes on the other three. The city of Fort Thomas wanted the play environment to be accessible from the street corner at the top of the hill, so the design team developed a ramp that gracefully sweeps along the slope, enabling children of all abilities to easily access the play spaces from any direction. The playground itself is divided into two different zones: a formal play area at the bottom of the hill and a discovery-based, landscaped area on the hillside. A paved, accessible walkway winds its way up the hill, enabling children to explore plants, play musical instruments, and gain access to a unique globe climbing structure and hillside slides.

A large, accessible tower commands the center of the play space. Children climb up the interior to view the entire play environment while accessing slides and a large, conical mound via a bridge. This shade-covered mound includes slides, climbing features, and flexible play slopes that allow children to test their abilities by finding their own way to ascend and descend the slope in creative and challenging circuits. A variety of climbing, balancing, and swinging play elements are connected to create a circuit that kids use to race against each other and test their agility.

A Sensational Landscape
The play space also includes extensive plantings, both within and outside the fencing. Based on studies regarding childhood development and the benefits of biophilic design, the Landscape Architects felt it would be important to expose children to a variety of plant textures and colors to stimulate the senses and provide interest through all four seasons. Ornamental grasses on the hillside slopes create textural and visual interest while enabling caregivers to keep an eye on the children. Human Nature tried to keep most of the existing, mature trees to maintain shade, but three large oaks had to be removed because their trunks were hollow and posed a potential safety risk. To mitigate the impact of the removed trees, the design team specified the installation of 37 new trees, most of which are native to northern Kentucky.

Extending The Legacy
This project is locally and regionally significant, demonstrating how a robust play environment can be created on a topographically challenging site and remain fully accessible. The playground provides a wide variety of play and non-play experiences that enable children to determine the level of challenge and excitement they are comfortable with. According to City Administrator Matt Kremer, "the playground is consistently active, with children and families enjoying the inclusive amenities."

Tower Park Playground embodies a place-specific design that acknowledges its physical, social, and historical context. Kevin Barbian, the city's General Services Director, says that the playground "serves as a central feature of Tower Park, encouraging families to explore and engage with other park facilities as well as visiting the nearby business district." As a result, the project exemplifies how Landscape Architects can create play environments that are inclusive, meaningful, and- most of all - fun and beneficial for current and future generations of children.

As seen in LASN magazine, September 2025.