Paco Sanchez Park
Denver, CO USA
Playground Overview
The giant 1950s microphone-inspired tower heralds the horizon, but the built-in play value is what really makes this park honoring local radio DJ Paco Sanchez truly extraordinary. Brilliant colors and bold presence aside, it’s the imaginative use of musical references that do the hard work of delivering dynamic play. Notes and scales offer footholds. Sound waves create netted climbing adventures. Chimes travel with kids as they run across the bridge. When iconic play and iconic architecture come together, they make beautiful music.
Playground Details
Age Ranges
-
- 5 to 12 years
Design Standards
- ASTM
Installed
- May 2018
- Project Price Range
-
Pricing for custom playground equipment varies. For international and exact pricing, please contact your local playground consultant.
- Contact Your Consultant
- About Color
-
Color is an important decision, and our playgrounds are available in many color options. Use our carefully curated palettes or work with our design team to create your own color combination. Contact your local playground consultant to learn more.
Playground products shown in video may not be appropriate for every age group. Playsystems shown in video are for demonstration purposes only. Product configurations may vary.
Video features a giant 1950s microphone-inspired tower heralds the horizon, but the built-in play value is what really makes this park honoring local radio DJ Paco Sanchez truly extraordinary. Brilliant colors and bold presence aside, it’s the imaginative use of musical references that do the hard work of delivering dynamic play. Notes and scales offer footholds. Sound waves created by netted climbing adventures. Chimes travel with kids as they run across the bridge. When iconic play and iconic architecture come together, they make beautiful music.
[video: scene starts with the Paco playable logo structure. The scene shifts to an overhead view as a large group of children run towards the play structure. Camera pans from bottom to top of microphone structure showing kids running in and out of it.]
Heather Runkel (Senior Parks Project Manager, City of Denver): We knew we wanted a big impact statement piece, and Paco Sanchez was Denver's first Hispanic DJ.
[video: scene shows images of microphone themed ideation sketches.] Heather: We kind of settled on broadcasting, was going to be our theme.
Heather: We've talked to lots of different playground manufacturers, and then we talked to Landscape Structures and Rocky Mountain Rec and came up with what you're seeing now, this mic tower concept [video: scene pans to side-view of park.]
Heather: So, it's really cool because there's ways to interact with it. like we didn't even think of.
Heather: So, there's kids saying, "Hey there's a secret passage here!" and there's the different levels of challenge. So, the users of all ages, little kids to adults, have been experiencing the power which has been really cool.
Heather: There's so many different ways to play on the structure. It's been great to watch.
Young girl 1: [video: young girl sits on belting of interior of structure.] I really like it, it's like an obstacle.
Young boy 1: It's just huge.
Young boy 2: The slide's fun.
[video: shows kids climbing throughout the structure.]
Young boy 3: There's a lot of stuff. I like the slide cause it's super big.
Boy 1: It's actually really cool. There's a lot of ways and stuff to do so you never get bored. I'm 11 and I still like this thing.
[video: shows climbing features within structure, including a slide throughout with climbing steps over all of it so kids may climb over everything.]
Woman 1: I like spending time with my kids and... this is fun.
Young boy 4: I'm bouncing!
[video: scene pans to bridge leading to the entrance of the structure.] Woman 1: I like the design, I like the structure, and you can climb. It's very physical. Even for adults. [video: woman goes down slide with her young child in her lap.]
[video: top down view shows complicated netting throughout structure and the variety of ways to climb throughout. Young boy walks across netting. Scene switches to footholds on the slide that a young boy uses to climb up.]
[video: young girls swing on net climbers on exterior of structure. Camera switches to them climbing into microphone interior from the bottom through a series of stepping elements.]
[video: young girl enters stainless steel slide. Camera switches to front facing view as the young girl slides down holding the camera. Scene switches to top down view of the slide with the young girl sliding out.]
[video: Overhead view shows entirety of structure and park. Scene switches to Dig Studio and Denver Parks and Rec logo. Switches to Landscape Structures logo. Video fades out.]
Playground products shown in video may not be appropriate for every age group. Playsystems shown in video are for demonstration purposes only. Product configurations may vary.
Video features a 360 view of various places at Paco Sanchez Park in Denver Colorado.
[video: camera is placed by wobble pods as parents sit on retaining wall in the shade of a tree.]
[video: camera is placed at the bottom of large slide and near the top of another smaller slide. A young girl runs past camera to the entrance of the small slide and glides down the slide.]
[video: camera is placed inside the large play structure underneath the large slide. A young boy in a tie-dyed shirt paces around the camera as he eats some candy. A young boy several levels up on the play structure speaks.]
Young boy: Lets go down farther. Let’s go down this way.
[video: young boy steps of platform decking onto belt bridge. A young boy on ground level hops through and climbs criss crossing ropes.]
[video: camera is placed on the first climbing level of the main structure. Children one level up jump up and down on belt bridge.]
[video: camera is placed on the second level of the main structure next to the double belt bridge walk. A young boy in a yellow shirt walks across the bridge away from the camera as he holds onto the cargo net above him.]
[video: camera is placed at the top of the large slide inside the main play structure. Three young boys climb around the slide on the surrounding climbing ropes and nets. A fourth boy climbs up on the outside of the slide on hand and foot holds.]
Young boy in striped shirt: We have to start from a different place.
Young boy with glasses: Everybody met down at the slide. We're starting over
Young boy in striped shirt: We're starting over by the other spot.
[video: the boy with glasses and the boy wearing the stripped shirt enter slide and disappear.]
[video: camera is placed at the very stop cargo net climb level of the main structure. A young girl in a red shirt and glasses sits at the top of a circle sport bar looking down. A young boy with glasses crawls up belted ramp to join the girl in the red shirt. A boy on a lower level speaks.]
Boy on lower level: Did you make this playground?
Adult: Yeah.
[video: fade to black.]
Featured Products
We offer the widest range of park and playground equipment to promote healthy lifestyles, encourage skill-building and create unique outdoor experiences. From our playsystems and freestanding playground components to themed designs, site furnishings and more, we’ll help you create a recreation space that welcomes your whole community.
Play Systems featured in this Playground
PlayBooster®
Ages 5 to 12 Years
The PlayBooster® playground structure, the original post-and-clamp system, combines exciting ground-level components with climbing events and overhead activities for kids ages 5 to 12. The PlayBooster family includes the interconnected cables of Netplex®, the contemporary Vibe®, the nature-inspired Tree House and the double-decker PlayOdyssey® Tower.
Resources
Product Categories featured in this Playground
Freestanding Play
Ages 2 to 12
Freestanding Play events add fun and excitement to new and existing playgrounds! Revitalize your current playground or create a playground design that’s completely unique using Freestanding Play components for kids ages 2 to 5 and 5 to 12.
Resources
Play Styles featured in this Playground
Custom/Themed
We can help you create playground designs unique to your community! Everything in our custom design process is driven by your goals and ideas. Together, we’ll create a destination playground that’s as individual as your imagination!
Playground consultant for this project
We’ve created a global network of local playground experts to be at your side, every step of the way. With an average of 20 years of experience, our playground consultants are knowledgeable and personable. They will guide you through product pricing and specifications, customization, financing options, community builds, on-time deliveries, maintenance, finding replacement parts, and service questions.
Rocky Mountain Recreation Inc.
PO Box 620411
Littleton, CO 80162
USA
Toll free 800-636-0199
Phone 303-783-1452
info@rmrec.com
www.rmrec.com
Find a Playground Consultant Near You
Play Reimagined
Engaging community and culture through park transformation
Paco Sanchez Park is a 30-acre parcel of land that offers mountain views as well as views of downtown Denver. It had become clear that the play and recreation options within Paco Sanchez Park were not meeting the needs of the community. And that’s why Denver Parks and Recreation set out to revitalize the space.
Taking a community-based approach with their Re-Imagine Play project, Denver Parks and Recreation set out to get children and families outdoors and encourage life-long active and healthy lifestyles. They used the following guiding principles to lead their planning process:
- Provide play for all ages, abilities, and backgrounds
- Active diverse programming
- Promote health + wellness
- Engage the community + culture
- Respond to the site structure
“The goal of the park renovation was really to open up recreation to individuals who wouldn't otherwise have opportunities to do so,” explained Heather Runkel, senior park project manager with the City of Denver Parks and Recreation Department.
Playground products shown in video may not be appropriate for every age group. Playsystems shown in video are for demonstration purposes only. Product configurations may vary.
Video features a giant 1950s microphone-inspired tower heralds the horizon, but the built-in play value is what really makes this park honoring local radio DJ Paco Sanchez truly extraordinary. Brilliant colors and bold presence aside, it’s the imaginative use of musical references that do the hard work of delivering dynamic play. Notes and scales offer footholds. Sound waves created by netted climbing adventures. Chimes travel with kids as they run across the bridge. When iconic play and iconic architecture come together, they make beautiful music.
[video: scene starts with the Paco playable logo structure. The scene shifts to an overhead view as a large group of children run towards the play structure. Camera pans from bottom to top of microphone structure showing kids running in and out of it.]
Heather Runkel (Senior Parks Project Manager, City of Denver): We knew we wanted a big impact statement piece, and Paco Sanchez was Denver's first Hispanic DJ.
[video: scene shows images of microphone themed ideation sketches.] Heather: We kind of settled on broadcasting, was going to be our theme.
Heather: We've talked to lots of different playground manufacturers, and then we talked to Landscape Structures and Rocky Mountain Rec and came up with what you're seeing now, this mic tower concept [video: scene pans to side-view of park.]
Heather: So, it's really cool because there's ways to interact with it. like we didn't even think of.
Heather: So, there's kids saying, "Hey there's a secret passage here!" and there's the different levels of challenge. So, the users of all ages, little kids to adults, have been experiencing the power which has been really cool.
Heather: There's so many different ways to play on the structure. It's been great to watch.
Young girl 1: [video: young girl sits on belting of interior of structure.] I really like it, it's like an obstacle.
Young boy 1: It's just huge.
Young boy 2: The slide's fun.
[video: shows kids climbing throughout the structure.]
Young boy 3: There's a lot of stuff. I like the slide cause it's super big.
Boy 1: It's actually really cool. There's a lot of ways and stuff to do so you never get bored. I'm 11 and I still like this thing.
[video: shows climbing features within structure, including a slide throughout with climbing steps over all of it so kids may climb over everything.]
Woman 1: I like spending time with my kids and... this is fun.
Young boy 4: I'm bouncing!
[video: scene pans to bridge leading to the entrance of the structure.] Woman 1: I like the design, I like the structure, and you can climb. It's very physical. Even for adults. [video: woman goes down slide with her young child in her lap.]
[video: top down view shows complicated netting throughout structure and the variety of ways to climb throughout. Young boy walks across netting. Scene switches to footholds on the slide that a young boy uses to climb up.]
[video: young girls swing on net climbers on exterior of structure. Camera switches to them climbing into microphone interior from the bottom through a series of stepping elements.]
[video: young girl enters stainless steel slide. Camera switches to front facing view as the young girl slides down holding the camera. Scene switches to top down view of the slide with the young girl sliding out.]
[video: Overhead view shows entirety of structure and park. Scene switches to Dig Studio and Denver Parks and Rec logo. Switches to Landscape Structures logo. Video fades out.]
Collaborating for Success
To ensure that the park project was supported by community members, a series of public events were held to introduce the design team and get feedback on the plan. During a community tailgate party at the park ahead of a Denver Broncos game, one community member insisted that the park design honor Francisco “Paco” Sanchez, the namesake of the park.
“She was worried that the park renovation would diminish his legacy,” explained Runkel.
Paco Sanchez Park, located on the west side of Denver, is in a mostly Latino community with lots of culture. Feedback captured at those community events lead to discussions of how the play space could highlight Paco Sanchez’s history in broadcast radio.
“Continued community collaboration was key to the development and success of this site.”
“The public was excited about the possibilities,” said Runkel. “The original park had an old playground structure and a basketball court. And residents couldn't wait to have something new, innovative and fun for the entire community.”
Mountain Views and a History Lesson
The site where the playground was scheduled to be installed was very sloped, and the design team used that to their advantage. By including a playground tower in the design, users would not only get a birds-eye view of the entire park, but they would also be able to take in mountain views.
To honor Paco Sanchez and his historic work in radio in the 1950s, the design team, including Landscape Structures and Dig Studio, chose to incorporate a broadcasting theme throughout the playground. Their research unveiled many pictures of Paco Sanchez with a vintage microphone, which led to the creation of the microphone-inspired playground tower.
In addition to honoring Paco Sanchez, park planners wanted to create a community gathering space that would promote health and wellness. That’s why they designed the playground tower that was filled with playground nets, pod steppers, rope climbers, rubber belting to create hang out spots, a slide, and even hand- and footholds along the top of the slide.
“Every time the design team talked, the design evolved and got cooler and cooler,” said Runkel. “It was truly a partnership among everyone involved.”
In addition to the microphone-themed playground tower, there are ground-level climbers that mimic radio sounds waves, a concrete slide with a gramophone entrance and playable chimes along the bridge. Even more, there is a playable Paco sign at the entrance to the park.
“The broadcast theme just kept resonating with the design team.”
Because one of the guiding principles was to provide play for all ages, abilities and backgrounds, ADA accessibility was an important piece of the design. Designers wanted to allow everyone access to the tower and accomplished this by developing an elevated bridge from the tower to additional play components at ground level as well as the nearby parking lot.
An Instrument for Interaction
The reimagined Paco Sanchez Park opened to the public in June 2018, and it has been a hit. People from all over the city are making a point to come visit the new play space.
“It's amazing how many different opportunities for play we were able to incorporate like the climbing handholds on top of the spiral slide,” exclaimed Runkel. “We just made the whole thing playable! The possibilities are limitless for how to interact, and kids are really challenging themselves.”
“One of my favorite things to do is just go there and listen to what people are saying.”
The park has become an attraction for generations of families. Parents and grandparents are joining kids on the playground, or at least sitting nearby on the benches positioned right next to the tower. And with picnic tables surrounding the play space, families are staying for hours.
“There are so many opportunities for everyone to interact!”
“You could call this the first phase of the project,” said Runkel. “We’re starting the second phase, which will include restrooms and kiosks with athletic equipment for the community to check-out free of charge. This park has become an experiment; we want to see what is successful here, what can be used to help keep the community active and what may work at other parks.”
