COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (KMTV) — Manawa City Park celebrated the opening of its upgraded playground on Monday. Council Bluffs is in the process of gradually updating playgrounds and other recreation spaces.
- Manawa City Park has a track for scooters and bicycles, a sensory garden and wheelchair-accessible equipment.
- “There’s a number of children with special needs in this area and we wanted to be able to accommodate all of the kids,” Martorello said.
- Parks and Rec director, Vincent Martorello says that his department listens to neighbors to learn what recreational activities would meet their needs.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Council Bluffs just opened its updated playground at Manawa City Park. I’m your Southwest Iowa neighborhood reporter, Katrina Markel.
I spoke with the parks and rec director who told me that all of this is part of a multi-year process to update the recreational spaces in the city.
Sloane: “I like the slide.”
Five-year-old Sloane and her grandma were checking out the new playground. One of just many park spaces in Council Bluffs that are new or being updated.
Parks and Recreation Director Vincent Martorello says over the six years he’s been in the job, he’s worked with city leaders to gradually upgrade recreational areas.
“And, we’re also looking at our trail system,” said Martorello. “We’ve upgraded about five miles of our trail system. This next cycle of funding will look to, what we call, fill in gaps.”
The latest playground in Manawa City, Martorello calls an “enclave park.” Tucked away in a neighborhood he says was under-reserved. It includes accessible equipment, a sensory garden and a track for bikes and scooters.
Kryten: “I’m just coming down here to Scoot.”
Martorello was pleased to see 11-year-old Kryten and eight-year-old Gus, enjoying the internal bike and scooter path.
“I like playing tag with our scooters together,” said Gus.
Some of the features grew out of meetings with neighbors about their needs.
“There’s a number of children with special needs in this area and we wanted to be able to accommodate all of the kids,” Martorello said.
He says that playground design went from an art to more of a science; designed, these days, to boost development of social and motor skills. And all-age amenities, like pickleball courts and a trail system, promote wellness in the community as a whole.
New projects at Prospect and Fairmont Parks are set to begin this fall and will be ready by next summer.
