Be Part of Something Amazing!

The Willow Bend parcel was purchased in 2016 by the City of Loveland for its potential as a neighborhood-scale park suitable for active and passive recreation in a combination of manicured parklands and naturalized open spaces. Through this acquisition, the City recognized an opportunity to offer its residents a more inclusive Parks and Open Lands experience.

Approximately one in fourteen Colorado youth live with special needs, including autism, deafness, blindness, emotional, intellectual, speech or learning disability, sensory processing disorders, orthopedic impairment, and/or traumatic brain injury. The City of Loveland maintains upwards of 30 parks with playgrounds which adequately meet or exceed ADA regulations for accessibility. However, none of the current playgrounds specifically aims to engage people of all shapes, sizes, ages and abilities.

The 79-acre Willow Bend project site is located in South Central Loveland – one of the fastest growing areas of the city – along the east Big Thompson River corridor, adjacent to the Loveland Boys & Girls Club and Simpson Ponds State Wildlife Area. 

Willow Bend Park will engage diverse users with numerous and varied opportunities for active and passive recreation, exploration and learning. At buildout, the Park is anticipated to include sports fields, an outdoor (nature play) adventure area, wetland education boardwalk, bike skills features, an accessible fishing dock and a universal playground (the subject of this grant proposal), all connected by a network of accessible walking and biking trails.

Donations to this project will support installation of a 6000 SF universally accessible playground at Willow Bend Park with poured-in-place safety surfacing, universal access play structures, accessible freestanding play components, and sensory play features. The park is slated for a late 2024/early 2025 opening to the public.

Parks & Recreation is currently working with several project donors and partners including:

• Tender Care Pediatric Services, Inc.

• Loveland -Big Thompson Kiwanis Club

• Loveland Visual Arts Commission

• Land and Water Conservation Fund

• Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO)

Looking to partner with us on this great project?  In addition to individual donations, additional partnership options include:

• Funding for specific park/playground features/amenities –many price point options available!

• Donor funding for adaptive sports and recreation equipment to be used at Willow Bend Park

• Scholarship funding for participation in adaptive sports programs at Willow Bend Park

For more information please contact Loveland Parks and Recreation. 970.962.2727