Mesa children have a new sustainable and accessible playground. Palo Verde Park, 3135 S. Dobson Road, is now open after getting a major makeover.

A voter-approved bond issue and a park-improvement grant from the National Recreation and Park Association with support from Niagara Cares, the philanthropic arm of Niagara Bottling LLC, made possible the brand-new children’s play area, according to a release.

“The improvements at Palo Verde add to the quality of our outstanding parks in the City,” Mesa Mayor John Giles said in the release. “We are grateful for the support from Niagara, NRPA and our residents for making this a reality.”

Palo Verde Park has new play equipment, two shade structures, playground lighting, and additional accessibility amenities including a friendship swing, cozy dome, transfer stations, ramps and accessible playground surfacing. The surrounding area also received new benches and tables.

Opportunities to play and recreate outdoors in community spaces like Palo Verde Park are vital to connecting children and families to the natural environment, encourage physical activity and ensure the health and sustainability of our community, the release states.

“Our residents know how important outdoor gathering spaces are, and the new playground here at Palo Verde Park is proof of that,” Councilmember Francisco Heredia said in the release. “Palo Verde is important to southwest Mesa, and more kids and families will now be able to enjoy it thanks to the commitment of the City and our project partners.”

Mesa is among four communities that each received park improvement grants as part of Niagara’s 2020 Perk Your Park Project. The others are in Allentown, Pennsylvania; Temple, Texas and Puyallup, Washington. This is the sixth cycle of grants provided by Niagara Cares.

“Niagara is excited to give back in cities like Mesa where our Team Members live and work,” Kristen Venick, director of Niagara Cares, said in the release. “It’s part of Niagara’s mission to enrich the lives of youth which includes improving access to safe spaces for children and families to explore, grow and enjoy.”

Several Niagara employees volunteered to help build the new play space at Palo Verde Park on June 9. Working with Exerplay, the project contractor, the employees assembled playground equipment, put up signs and cleaned and prepped the space where the flooring and canopy shade were installed.

Along with the grant of $130,000, the remaining $350,000 for the Palo Verde Park improvements was from the voter-approved 2018 Parks Bond Program.

Niagara Cares is a philanthropic arm of Niagara Bottling, Go to niagarawater.com/niagara-cares.