The long-anticipated rebuild of Castle Park is entering its most hands-on and community-driven phase, and city officials, Parks and Recreation staff, and leaders of the nonprofit organization helping guide the project are calling for a major volunteer turnout as thousands of remaining shifts still need to be filled ahead of April’s six-day community build.
Located in the Willow Creek Estates South neighborhood just south of Oak Chan Elementary School,Castle Parkhas been a defining landmark of childhood in Folsom since it was first constructed in 1996. Designed by playground architect Robert Leathers and built largely by volunteers nearly 30 years ago, the castle-themed wooden playground became a rite of passage for generations of local families, known for its towers, bridges, and imaginative spaces that encouraged creative play and community gathering.
After decades of near-constant use, the original wooden structures reached the end of their safe lifespan. City officials ultimately determined the aging playground could no longer be maintained to modern safety and accessibility standards, prompting a multi-year effort to replace it — not with a generic design, but with a new playground that honors the original footprint, theme, and community-built legacy that made Castle Park unique.
That effort formally began last year when the Folsom City Council voted to officially rename the 2.1-acre Kids Play Park to Castle Park, cementing the name long used by residents and acknowledging the site’s deep emotional and historical significance within the community. Shortly after, the city unveiled a nostalgic but modernized playground design that retains the castle motif while introducing safer materials, inclusive play elements, and improved accessibility throughout the park.
Demolition of the aging wooden structures followed, a moment that was emotional for many longtime residents but marked a clear transition toward the next chapter of the park’s life. City officials emphasized at the time that removal of the original playground was necessary to move forward with a safer and more sustainable replacement, and that community involvement would once again be at the heart of the rebuild.
That promise took a major step forward when the City Council later approved a community-build construction model and formally partnered with a nonprofit organization, Folsom Kids Play for Generations, to help lead fundraising efforts, coordinate volunteers, and preserve the spirit of a park built by the community, for the community.
Now, that vision is becoming reality.
The community build has been scheduled for April 7 through April 12, 2026, and will take place rain or shine. The build week coincides with spring break for the Folsom Cordova Unified School District, a decision staff said was deliberate due to logistics and proximity to Oak Chan Elementary School.
“We actually did,” Parks Planner II and project manager Hannah Perez told the City Council last week when Mayor Justin Raithel asked whether spring break had been intentionally selected. “That is due to the fact of its proximity to Oak Chan Elementary School and being able to utilize the parking lot for our volunteers.”
Perez said volunteer sign-ups opened just one day before her council presentation and quickly showed strong early momentum.
“I am very excited to announce that the community build dates have been scheduled, and they are going to be April 7 through the twelfth,” Perez said. “Sign-ups are now open, and we actually launched the sign-ups yesterday, and we already have 77 volunteers signed up for a total of 149 shifts. We have plenty more, so don’t be discouraged if you want to get involved — we have plenty more shifts available for the six-day build.”
City staff and nonprofit organizers stress that the scale of the project requires far broader participation than those initial signups represent.
“We need lots of volunteers to help bring this vision to life,” city outreach materials state. “There is a role for everybody. Whether you prefer to get your hands dirty with a hammer and nails or would rather support the effort through organization and logistics, we need you.”
Volunteers must be at least 10 years old to participate. Children between the ages of 10 and 13 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. No prior construction experience is required, Perez emphasized during the council meeting, noting that planners are counting on “all ready hands who are available to join in the magic of bringing this play structure to life.”
Recreation Specialist Jeri Karges underscored the urgency of the volunteer push and the magnitude of the remaining need.
“It’s going to be a HUGE volunteer effort and we need all of the help we can get to get the word out,” Karges said. “To give you some idea of the magnitude, we currently have 211 volunteers signed up, but we still have 2,342 shifts left to fill.”
Volunteers can view available dates, times, and roles and sign up through the city’s registration portal here: folsomparksrec.wufoo.com/forms/qzo02c80tg0lik/. City officials are encouraging families, school groups, youth sports teams, service organizations, and local businesses to consider volunteering together.
While volunteers will construct the playground structures themselves during the April build week, significant site work is being completed before and after the build to ensure safety, accessibility, and long-term durability. During last week’s City Council meeting, Perez outlined the scope of that work and the contracts approved to move the project forward.
The City Council approved agreements with contractors KYA and Granite Construction Inc. to complete key site work valued at more than $380,000 combined. KYA will begin by clearing and grading the play areas and demolishing a section of sidewalk along Prewett Drive that staff said is currently slipping into the street and does not meet ADA standards.
“This portion of the sidewalk is slipping down into the street and is not ADA accessible at this time, so the intent of the demolition is to bring that portion up to code,” Perez told the council.
KYA will also perform subgrade work for new concrete pavement and stub out utilities — including electrical and potable water — for a future restroom facility. Although the restroom’s final location has not yet been determined, utilities are being extended to the center of the site to preserve flexibility. An existing sewer stub from Stonington Way already extends onto the property.
Vice Mayor Anna Rohrbough praised that forward-thinking approach, noting it addressed one of the most common public concerns about the park.
“Thank you for including the stub-out or the prep work for a future restroom. That was one of the big things people care about,” Rohrbough said. “It’s so close to the trail and will benefit the entire community. I really appreciate you being thoughtful of that and finding a way to make it work.”
After the community build concludes, KYA will return to install poured-in-place safety surfacing and engineered wood fiber beneath the new play structures. Perez said additional landscaping touch-ups are also expected after the volunteer build due to heavy foot traffic.
Councilmember Barbara Leary asked whether the park would be fully completed and ready to open on April 12. Perez explained that while construction of the play structures will be complete during the community build, final surfacing and landscaping work will continue afterward.
“There’ll still be some work after the twelfth,” Perez said. “After the play structure build, the work that needs to be done is the pour-in-place safety surfacing and the engineered wood fiber. Then any touch-up landscaping that needs to be done after all those volunteers are out there. There will be a little bit of work that needs to be done afterward, but we’re still targeting having it open by April of ’26.”
Granite Construction is contributing significantly to the project through a cost-sharing partnership approved by the City Council. Of multiple contractors that expressed interest, Granite provided an estimate of $144,712 for concrete pavement work and agreed to donate half of that amount, performing the work at cost to the city.
Perez thanked Rohrbough for connecting the city with Granite and praised the company for its generosity. Rohrbough also commended staff for assembling a creative funding package that keeps the project under budget while prioritizing accessibility.
“Thank you for getting creative and working with other departments on funding sources to make sure this project stays under budget and complete with ADA compliance in mind,” Rohrbough said. “Thank you, Hannah, for all your work.”
Perez detailed the full project budget as $1,001,229, broken down into $158,835 for design, $379,438 for playground materials, and $462,169 for construction, including a 10 percent contingency. Funding includes $716,063 from the Parks and Recreation Equipment and Capital Fund, $135,201 from Measure A funds, and $149,965 from the city’s nonprofit partner, Folsom Kids Play for Generations, along with other donations.
In addition to volunteering, residents can support the project through donations for personalized fence slats, which are being accepted through Jan. 31. City officials say those contributions will allow families and organizations to leave a lasting mark on the rebuilt park.
As April approaches, city leaders and nonprofit organizers say the rebuild of Castle Park stands as a reminder of what community collaboration can accomplish — and that its future, like its past, depends on neighbors stepping forward.
“We need your help to keep the magic going,” organizers said. “We hope to see you and your family or organization out there.”
Copyright © 2026, Folsom Times, a digital product of All Town Media LLC. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
