New play structure planned for River Forks Park
Written by Press Release on May 10, 2023
Douglas County, Ore.—The Douglas County Parks Department is excited to announce that they will be installing a new playground structure at River Forks County Park in July this year. Playcraft Systems, LLC out of Grants Pass, Oregon, the largest manufacturer of playground equipment on the west coast, designed the new play structure. It includes a 23 ½ foot-tall by 11 foot-wide climbing portal tower with a 12 foot-tall by 18 foot-wide partial-tube spiral slide. The structure will be surrounded at the base by soft rubber tiles for safety.
The new playground structure will be placed adjacent to the upper playground in the location where the nonoperational wooden replica of Fort Umpqua currently stands. The original replica of Fort Umpqua at River Forks County Park was built in 1971, but after many years of wear and tear was removed due to safety concerns. The North Roseburg Rotary Club rebuilt the wooden fort in 1989, but it has also deteriorated to the point where it is no longer safe, and the decision was made to close it for public use a number of years ago. For safety reasons the fort will now be removed to make room for a safe and functional modern play structure. Removal of the old fort and ground work in preparation for the new play structure installation will take place in the next few weeks. Please note that the removal of the old fort and construction of the new play structure could limit access to this area of the park. Safety is always a priority for the public and we are asking patrons to use caution and obey posted construction signs as they play and utilize the park for recreational activities.
This project is part of our continued park improvement plan, and is being paid for entirely by Douglas County Parks Department funds, with approval for the project made possible by the Douglas County Board of Commissioners. Recent park improvements at River Forks County Park include the replacement of the lower & upper playgrounds, new restroom facilities, new upper pavilion and the restoration of our iconic “Willie” and “Baby” whale splash pad feature.
River Forks County Park is a large park located at the confluence of the North Umpqua and South Umpqua Rivers about 6 miles west of Roseburg on River Forks Park Road. The county park offers day-use recreational opportunities like playgrounds (including an all-inclusive playground), fishing, kayaking, swimming, rafting, picnicking, walking and pavilion rentals. Please note that current water temperatures are not conducive for rafting or swimming. Please make sure you check water temperatures and follow recommended guidelines before you consider rafting or swimming. For more information about Cold Water Hazards and Safety log onto the National Weather Service website here.
