Mill River Park is a 28-acre park in downtown Stamford, Connecticut. As one of the first elements implemented out of the Mill River Park Master Plan, the playground has been a beloved community resource and a point of pride for the many volunteers whose hands helped erect it in 2007. However, 15 years later, the equipment and landscape showed signs of wear, and the traditional forms of the structure no longer aligned with the larger vision for the park.
The Mill River Park Collaborative (MRPC) set a vision for a renovated playground that would redefine inclusion and accessibility within an iconic new destination playscape. Working closely with MRPC, Agency led an authentic and broad-reaching community engagement process throughout the fall of 2022, which reached more than a thousand children and families throughout Stamford. This input lay a foundation for ambitious and grounded guiding principles for the park and informed the design program through lively words and drawings provided by hundreds of local third graders.
Opened in 2025, the Sue McGraw Friendship Playground includes custom created play equipment and landscape experiences specifically designed with inclusion in mind. Agency worked closely with Earthscape Play, Kanics Inclusive Design, and Abundant Playscapes to craft unique playground features and landscape elements that invite visitors of all ages and abilities to play together. Taking inspiration from the creatures that reside in and along the Rippowam River, two friendly turtle-shaped climbing structures anchor the main play area and Tot Lot on either side of the playground. A log jam and salvaged granite blocks provide a challenging climb to the top of the hillside, where a wide concrete slide brings visitors back down with speed. Opportunities to spin, swing, touch, wobble, bounce, and balance fill the playground with activities for all ages and abilities.
Located within a floodway, sustainability is front of mind for the playground. By approaching the design through this lens, the thoughtful layout celebrates landform, natural play experiences, and minimal impact to the floodway. A close partnership with the engineers at Langan and CES ensures that the playground design works responsibly within the floodway and floodplain the site sits in, while maintaining high value play opportunities.
This combination of inclusivity and sustainability creates a one-of-a-kind destination for play in Stamford. Stormwater education sits side by side with embankment slides, a custom-designed play structure, and access for all those who wish to play.
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