A $900,000 makeover brings soft turf, a rope-safe merry-go-round and fun to Plant City’s popular conservation park.
The shoes didn’t stand a chance.
Within minutes of arriving at Edward Medard Conservation Park, three young visitors kicked off their shoes and were racing across the new playground’s soft synthetic turf, climbing, sliding and testing out every feature they could find.
For Sarah Williams of Brandon, that was one of the biggest draws.
“I love the artificial turf,” Williams said as her children and grandchild played. “They’re running around without shoes on because the turf is so bouncy.”
The new playground at the Plant City-area conservation park is officially complete, giving families another reason to visit the 1,284-acre park, which features a 770-acre reservoir, trails and a long list of outdoor activities.
The playground is part of a $900,000 improvement project that includes renovations to the bathrooms, volleyball court, and a future musical walkway featuring a variety of instruments along a concrete path. The walkway will be an extension of the playground and is expected to be completed later this year.
The new playground replaces the park’s former equipment with multilevel, ADA-inclusive structures featuring modern climbing elements and slides.
And then there’s the merry-go-round.
Williams said it was the first attraction her children ran to.
“It’s safe because there are ropes and you don’t fall off,” she said.
She said her group, which included three children from ages five to 12, decided to visit the park because they had read about the new playground. Williams hadn’t visited Medard in more than a year and was looking for someplace to take her kids to seek adventure in the outdoors and have a picnic.
The playground’s fort offered some shade, while the surrounding oak trees provided additional relief from the Florida sun.
Her only suggestion? More shade.
“It’d be great to have some shade sails,” Williams said, noting that her family frequently visits Bonnet Springs Park in Lakeland. “Hillsborough County needs to do something like that, but it’s great that we can see some of the things our county is spending our money on.”
Medard offers plenty to explore beyond the playground, including canoeing, kayaking, fishing, boating, a three-mile trail, disc golf, and a beach volleyball court. Canoes and kayaks can be rented for up to four hours for $25.
The park also offers camping for $24 per night, with discounts available for seniors 55 and older.
Other recent improvements include campground upgrades, newly paved entrance roads, paver trailer driveways, and recreation amenities such as indoor ping-pong tables and outdoor corn hole areas near camping zones.
One caveat for boaters: the boat ramp is currently closed because of decreased water levels.
The park is open from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in fall/winter) and is located at 6140 Turkey Creek Rd.
For Williams, the new playground is a welcome reminder that sometimes the best family outing doesn’t require much planning, just a little room to run and a good place to take off your shoes.
