The new Gronk Playground in Boston, funded by a $1.2 million donation from Patriots great Rob Gronkowski, is finally close to becoming reality.
The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation unveiled plans for the new playground last week, and is accepting public comments on the design through Nov. 16. Gronkowski announced in May of 2021 that he was making the seven-figure donation to show appreciation for all of the support he received while playing in New England.
Plans call for a full renovation of the Charlesbank Playground, located in the state Department of Conservation and Recreation's Charles River Reservation Esplanade. The proposal includes several fun Gronk-themed features, including a fitness play circuit with a feature that looks like a football being spiked at its center and a life-sized Gronk "High 5-Low 5" station. There's a duck boat for kids to climb on, duck boat-shaped spring riders for younger kids and a play structure modeled after the Zakim Bridge.
The playground is aimed at two different age groups -- 2-5-year-olds and 5-12-year-olds. The site is universally accessible and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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So when will the new playground be ready to open?
The equipment is expected to be ordered next month, and it will likely take about a year to manufacture it before everything can be installed and the playground opened to the public.
You can get a sneak peek of what the new Gronk Playground will look like in the images below:
