The reimagining of Kids Castle at Purcell Park has been about bringing a new version of a beloved landmark to life for the next generation of Harrisonburg families, and it’s been personal for our team from day one.

“I played on this playground when I was a kid,” says Dustin Harper, Senior Project Manager for Harman Construction. “It’s just been incredible to be a part of this project.”

On September 1, families gathered for the grand reopening of a Harrisonburg landmark that has welcomed kids since volunteers first built it in 1990. Our team worked alongside Harrisonburg Parks and Recreation, the project's landscape architect, and the City of Harrisonburg to carry that same community spirit into the new design.

Built to Last

Kids Castle needed more than routine upkeep. Years of flooding and wear had made the original structure costly to maintain and unsafe in places. The new playground includes:

Robinia wood construction, a hardwood in the locust family chosen for its natural rot and insect resistance and expected to last 60 years
A caged footing system with integrated drainage for long-term stability
ADA accessibility, including a swing that gives wheelchair users access to the zipline area

The rebuilt Kids Castle playground at Purcell Park, complete with a new drawbridge entrance and climbing tower.

The completed Kids Castle playground in Harrisonburg, featuring a caged footing system and ADA-accessible play areas.

A Space Made for Adventure

The new Kids Castle keeps the classic castle feel families remember, but with all kinds of new features. A drawbridge-style entrance leads into a custom, one-of-a-kind castle tower, elevated walkways, and climbing nets, before kids reach a slide that climbs roughly 25 feet in the air, one of the tallest features in the park.

The rebuilt Kids Castle tower at Purcell Park, framed by elevated walkways and climbing nets.

Looking Ahead

Kids Castle is now built to serve Harrisonburg for decades to come, the same way the original did for more than 30 years. For our team, that's the real win: watching families start putting the new castle to use.