Just when you thought Gavin Park had everything—dozens of athletic fields and courts, walking paths with exercise stations, a splash pad, an ice rink, two gymnasiums, a game room, and a concession area—Wilton’s favorite year-round hangout went and upped the ante.
Last week, the Friends of Wilton Recreation (FWR) unveiled two new playground features that have been years in the making: zip lines. And they’re already proving to be a smash hit, with droves of children waiting their turn in line during peak playground hours.
The idea for the zip lines was conceived back in 2022, according to local realtor and FWR President Chris Iwinski. At that time, Iwinski and two other members of the organization assumed leadership positions after a few longstanding members stepped down. During one of the first meetings with the new leadership team, FWR Vice President/Secretary Lauren Johnson brought up the idea of installing zip lines in Gavin Park.
“Within moments of her saying that, everyone was on board,” Iwinski recalls.
And while it was a great idea, the hardest part was taking it from just that—an idea—to a real thing. “We had no idea what we were getting involved in,” Iwinski says.
The team began reaching out to playground contractors to gather quotes and proposals, and quickly learned two things: 1) There are way more kinds of zip lines than you think there are, and 2) They are not cheap.
At that point in time, the plan was to install one zip line. But then things changed.
Someone in the organization had the idea to install two zip lines—the second being adaptive for children with disabilities. Almost immediately, the town was on board. After all, Gavin Park is known for its inclusivity, with a wide range of accessible playground equipment available for kids with wheelchairs to use and have fun, too. Ultimately, the decision to add a second zip line was a no-brainer—but it also doubled the cost.
So, FWR got to work doing what it does best: fundraising. (The whole point of the nonprofit organization is to seek private funding for Wilton recreation facilities and programs.) Through a combination of fundraising events like 5k races and cornhole tournaments, generous donations from people like Matt McPadden (owner of the local McPadden Builders) and organizations like Irving Tissue (Fort Edward), brick sales, and a grant from the town, the money to move forward with the project was secured.
The organization ultimately partnered with the Buffalo-based playground builder Parkitects to bring the project to life. The chosen design involves metal tracks running the length of the zip lines—making for minimal wear and tear, and less tension. One zip line has a disc kids can stand on and ride to one end and back, while the adaptive zip line functions similarly, but with a seat children can be lifted and strapped into.
On a recent visit with his daughter, Iwinski witnessed something not too many people see now in the era of iPads and video games: “Kids who were complete strangers were working together and figuring out how it works,” he says of the new feature. “They were pushing each other forward and backward, and raising each other up.”
This kind of interaction is, really, the whole point. “I think any parent or guardian can agree that having kids playing outside, doing physical activities, and interacting with one another—especially in this day and age—is absolutely priceless,” Iwinski says.
So the next time your kid refuses to get off the phone, iPad, or literally any other gadget? Take them to Gavin Park.
