Less than a year ago, Skokie residents and neighbors of Schack Park helped choose the design for a new state-of-the-art playground for the south side park. On Monday, July 23 at 11 a.m., the new playground will be officially unveiled at a ribbon-cutting ceremony, with summer campers and neighborhood children invited to try out the Skokie Park District’s newest addition. The ceremony will begin with brief comments by Skokie Park District and School District 72 officials.

The park’s new $340,000 playground is now modern, safe and environmentally friendly — and will serve the needs of hundreds of neighborhood families and Skokie residents for years to come. The playground is also heavily used by Fairview South Elementary School as their recess play area.

“This playground includes a poured-in-place rubber surface, with some engineered wood fiber included,” said the park district’s superintendent of parks Mike Rea. “The playground’s centerpiece play structure features a unique climbing wall with nets, decks and ropes.”

The project was part of the park district’s five-year capital plan.