is growing up and growing out this year as officials strive to make it a destination with activities that appeal to people of all ages.
The expansive park southwest of the intersection of Quebec Street and University Boulevard in Highlands Ranch last month unveiled 17 pieces of spread across three sites.
The equipment — Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant gear installed on concrete pads at a cost of about $118,000 — is a step beyond pull-up bars and simple workout stations that have dotted parks for decades. They look like the machines at the average gym. Some pieces allow users to add resistance through adjustable pistons, and others leverage the user’s body weight.
“I think the exercise equipment was a big deal for us because there are times of the day where the park gets really quiet,” said Curt Sloan, manager of Douglas County Parks and Trails. “There’s an opportunity in the mornings and early afternoons for the park to be used for some different things, and the exercise equipment is part of that. Itap arranged so joggers can incorporate it into their runs and general trail users can access it.”
Highland Heritage, like many parks in Douglas County, was developed mainly to host team sports. It remains hugely popular with youth leagues, assistant director Randy Burkhardt said. Its artificial turf field is the busiest in the Douglas County parks system. The fitness equipment and another recent addition, two miniature , are about broadening the park’s appeal. Burkhardt and Sloan say the ultimate goal is to make the park an intergenerational amenity.
“Now, as the community matures, we certainly recognize the need for uses that expand beyond football, baseball and soccer,” Burkhardt said. “Itap all part our plan to bring more people into our parks. We’re trying to provide options for user groups that we haven’t provided options for in the past.”
Team sports will remain an important part of Highland Heritage’s identity. Work is underway on a 20-acre expansion to the northwest, taking over the land previously occupied by a private driving range and expanding the park to a total of 92 acres. That $4 million project, expected to conclude in November, will add two more artificial turf fields — nearly 4.5 acres between them — three additional picnic shelters and more parking. The fields will be lit with LED lights from , a company that has worked with Major League Baseball.
Burkhardt and Sloan say synthetic fields cost more to install, but because they do not need water or as much upkeep throughout the year, they save the county money over time. They estimated the cost to maintain 1 acre of grass sports field over the course of a year is $10,000. That number shrinks to $2,500 per acre with turf.
The exercise equipment got mixed reviews from park users last week. Some parents expressed concerns kids might play on the pieces placed near the park’s playgrounds and hurt themselves. Others thought it provided an opportunity for parents to exercise while watching their kids.
The new fields, however, are sure to be a hit when they open.
Lone Tree resident Ross Winklemann said that between his three kids and their sports activities, he visits Highland Heritage Park at least three times each week. He said he is looking forward to the new playing surfaces because artificial turf doesn’t break down and impact the quality of play like a grass field does.
“Itap great,” he said of the park. “Itap really close to our house, and having more high-quality fields will mean more games and more practices close to home.”