Case Study: Swalwell Park
Location: Lake Country, BC
Project Type: Community Playground & Splash Pad
Installed: 2026
Project Highlights:
- Brand-new, accessible playground
- Revitalized splash pad
- Outdoor fitness equipment
- Shaded picnic area
Located in the heart of Lake Country, BC, Swalwell Park has been one of the community’s most important outdoor gathering spaces for decades. From local events and community programming to summer days spent cooling off at the Tretheway Splash Pad, the park was already a well-loved part of everyday life in Lake Country.
Guided by community feedback in 2023, the District of Lake Country saw an opportunity to reimagine Swalwell Park for future generations. The goal was to create a more inclusive, engaging, and long-lasting community destination that could support children, teens, families, caregivers, and community members of all ages.
Lake Country wanted to transform Swalwell Park by revitalizing the existing splash pad with modern features, adding a brand-new playground, and creating a new outdoor fitness space. With a newly built middle school just across the street, the playground also needed to deliver real play value for older children and teens, with equipment that offered challenge, movement, and a sense of adventure, while still supporting inclusive play for younger children and users of all abilities.
Following a competitive RFP process, Parkworks was awarded the role of Design Builder for the Swalwell Park revitalization. Working closely with the District of Lake Country, the Parkworks team helped turn an ambitious community vision into a vibrant, multigenerational destination, delivering the full project scope from design and site safety to equipment supply, installation, surfacing, and commissioning. The result is a playful, place-based park experience built around active play, local identity, and everyday community connection.
The Challenge
Swalwell Park’s revitalization included several major elements: a brand-new playground, a new outdoor fitness area, upgrades to the existing Trethewey Splash Park, and added shade and seating for a more comfortable picnic area. Each space needed its own personality, but they also needed to work together as one cohesive park experience that would invite families to stay longer, come back often, and enjoy more ways to play, move, rest, and gather in one place.
The Okanagan Valley’s agricultural history became a natural source of inspiration for the design. With Lake Country surrounded by orchards, vineyards, and farms, Swalwell Park offered an opportunity to create a play experience with a distinct sense of place. Through a community-responsive design approach, the Parkworks team listened carefully, thought creatively, and drew inspiration from the surrounding landscape to incorporate fruit and agricultural-themed elements throughout the playground and splash pad. Rather than creating a park that could exist anywhere, the result is a space that feels unmistakably connected to the Okanagan, tying Swalwell Park’s identity to its surroundings while creating a playful experience that feels right at home in Lake Country.
For the playground, the district wanted play features that would excite and grab the attention of older children, especially the middle school students who would use the park regularly. That meant incorporating challenges, height, movement, and opportunities for healthy risk-taking. At the same time, the playground needed to welcome children of different ages, abilities, and comfort levels, ensuring the space felt exciting, accessible, and inclusive.
The outdoor fitness area added even more value to the park experience. Designed as a free public amenity, it gives teens, adults, parents, and caregivers a place to move outdoors without needing a gym membership or fitness centre. Positioned near the playground and splash pad, the fitness area also supports everyday usability, giving caregivers a way to stay active while children play nearby.
The Trethewey Splash Park had already been part of Swalwell Park for decades, and Lake Country saw an opportunity to give it new life. Beloved features like the Big Apple and Water Tower were preserved, while new interactive splash pad elements were added to bring fresh energy, bigger splashes, and renewed excitement to the space.
The Solution
Parkworks worked closely with the District of Lake Country throughout the design process to ensure the revitalized park reflected the community’s needs, the project goals, and their vision for a long-lasting public amenity.
Because Swalwell Park was envisioned as a community destination, creating a cohesive experience across the site was a key design priority. The playground, outdoor fitness area, splash pad, and picnic area were planned to feel connected while still giving each space its own purpose and personality.
Within the playground, Parkworks focused on maximizing play value for children of different ages, abilities, and play styles through a mix of climbing, spinning, sliding, balancing, bouncing, sensory play, and imaginative exploration. A Mini Dome with Slide creates an engaging climbing experience closer to the ground, while the larger custom Giant structure gives children opportunities to climb, balance, slide, and test their limits. The Cocowave Pendulum Swing adds another layer of excitement, delivering a dynamic swinging experience that encourages cooperative play, social interaction, and plenty of laughter as children work together to build momentum.
To support Lake Country’s request for playground features that would appeal to older children and the middle school students across the street, Parkworks incorporated elements with more speed, challenge, and thrill. A KOMPAN Cliff Rider adds a high-energy play experience that encourages repeat loops of action, while a Eurotramp Playground Loop XL trampoline brings dynamic bouncing into the space, giving older kids another exciting reason to keep exploring.
Accessibility and inclusion were also central to the playground design. Features such as the Universal Carousel and several sensory play panels create more ways for children to participate, including those who may prefer quieter, more sensory-based play. Spinner Bowls, the Crazy Daisy, and Spica 1 add dynamic movement experiences that support different levels of confidence, ability, and play style.
The agricultural theme was woven into the playground through Apple Stepping Stones and a Leaf Hideaway from Jambette, with fruit and leaf designs integrated into the pour-in-place (PIP) rubber surfacing. These details help connect the play experience to Lake Country’s local character while adding colour, creativity, and cohesion to the space.
For the splash pad, Parkworks partnered with Waterplay, who supplied the features for the original splash pad, to refresh the existing space while preserving some of its most recognizable features. By retaining beloved elements while introducing new experiences, the revitalized splash pad balances nostalgia with excitement for a new generation of users. The Big Apple and Water Tower were refurbished and reintegrated into the new design, allowing these iconic, on-theme elements to continue creating memorable splash experiences for years to come.
New Waterplay features, including the ladybug Sling Soaker, Sparx, Papillon and a custom Bee Fellow, add playful sprays and interactive moments that support the agricultural theme. Refurbished Splash Blasters create opportunities for energetic splash battles, while the Flutterby offers gentler water play for children who want to enjoy the splash pad away from the busiest action. A Waterfall 3 adds an interactive feature that invites children to explore how water moves, flows, and changes.
Throughout the splash pad, a variety of ground sprays add movement, surprise, and different levels of water intensity, creating an experience that feels fresh, active, and fun from every angle.
The new outdoor fitness area expands Swalwell Park’s value beyond play. Designed as both an outdoor workout space and a ninja warrior-style obstacle course, it invites teens, adults, and fitness enthusiasts to test their strength, balance, agility, and endurance. Featuring multiple routes with varying degrees of difficulty, the space encourages users to challenge themselves, build confidence, and return to improve their skills over time.
At the centre of the space is the KOMPAN Super Combi 2, which offers a mix of high, low, and dynamic fitness features for a wide range of users. An overhead ladder and rings support strength training, while Combi Steps, a Balance Beam, and Jump Pods support cardio, balance, and functional movement. A Multi Timer helps users bring structure to their workouts and track their progress.
The picnic area adds another layer of comfort to the renewed park experience. While new site furnishings were outside the original scope of work, Parkworks found a smart way to refresh the space by working with Wekid Manufacturing to refinish the existing benches, tabletops, bike rack, and signposts with new powder coating. With ample seating for families who want to settle in and stay all day and a large shade sail that helps protect visitors from the hot Okanagan sun, the picnic area makes Swalwell Park even more welcoming for full days of play, rest, and connection.
Together, the playground, splash pad, outdoor fitness area, and refreshed picnic space transform Swalwell Park into a vibrant community destination where play, movement, connection, and outdoor adventure come together.
The Implementation
Bringing Swalwell Park from design to reality required strong collaboration between Parkworks and the District of Lake Country.
As Design Builder, Parkworks was responsible for delivering the full scope outlined in the RFP, including project design, site safety, equipment supply, installation, surfacing, and commissioning. With the District of Lake Country leading site preparation and earthworks, ongoing coordination between teams was essential.
Weekly site meetings kept communication clear and the project moving forward. With multiple components coming together in one public park, these check-ins helped the team review progress, flag challenges early, and make timely decisions.
As with many outdoor projects, weather required flexibility and quick coordination. The Parkworks team adapted to changing site conditions, managed timing around installation and surfacing, and kept communication clear as work progressed. By staying proactive and responsive, the team kept the project moving toward a successful completion.
Throughout the process, Parkworks stayed focused on delivering legendary service. By staying solutions-focused, collaborative, and committed to quality, the team helped bring an ambitious community project to life and delivered a renewed park experience built for Lake Country.
The Outcome
With a playground packed full of play value, a refreshed splash pad, an accessible outdoor fitness area, a shaded picnic space, and renewed site furnishings, Swalwell Park now gives children, teens, parents, caregivers, and community members more reasons to visit and more ways to enjoy the outdoors together.
Swalwell Park officially reopened to the public in May 2026. Despite rainy weather, families showed up ready to explore, climb, splash, move, and experience the renewed space firsthand.
District of Lake Country Mayor Blair Ireland captured the impact of the revitalization, sharing, “These upgrades reflect our community’s vision for a vibrant, welcoming Town Centre. Swalwell Park is now a true destination, one that supports inclusive play, active living, and community connection, while continuing to host the events and activities that bring people together.”
Rooted in local identity and packed with inclusive play value, Swalwell Park shows what is possible when thoughtful design, strong collaboration, and community vision come together. Built for everyday visits, summer splashes, active afternoons, and full days at the park, the renewed space is ready to serve Lake Country for generations to come.
Project Partners:
- District of Lake Country
Ready to create more than just a park? Parkworks helps communities design outdoor destinations that spark adventure, encourage connection, and become part of everyday life. Together, we can create a space your community will be proud to call its own!