Port Clinton’s 2-5 and 5-12 playgrounds are scheduled for an update in 2024.
The Park District of Highland Park began planning the playground update in 2023. The planning and design process was collaborative, and the Park District is thankful for all the feedback collected throughout the process. Feedback collected from the community was used to guide the final design for Port Clinton’s playground renovation.
Project Details:
Other Projects Happening at Port Clinton in 2024:
The new fence behind the elementary playground has been installed.
Playground safety signs have been installed, the remaining asphalt path work is expected to be completed today, and the retaining walls have been installed. 
This week, the remainder of the site restoration work will be completed and site inspections will take place to prepare for the construction fence to be removed.
The Park is expected to open the week of July 14, 2025.
Thank you for your patience during construction at Port Clinton Park – the project has taken much longer than anticipated due to a variety of challenges that have come up along the way.
That said, the end is in sight and construction is nearing completion!
What’s left? – installation of remaining path section, site restoration work, and playground safety inspections.
The Park District is working hard to make sure Port Clinton can open as soon as possible!
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Installation of the basketball court surface has been completed, next it will be striped. 
Installation of the path to the basketball court has been completed. Next, restoration work surrounding the path will begin. 
The middle and entry path will be installed next, alongside wrapping installation of the retaining walls.
Installation of the new site furniture has been completed.
Installation of the top layer of soft surface in the tot lot has been completed.
Landscape restoration of the site is underway.
Crews are working on installing the path to the basketball court and installing the basketball court surfacing.
Woodchips have been installed in the elementary play area.
Installation of the top layer of soft surface in the tot lot has started.
Preparation for installation of the playground surfacing has started.
The base layer has gone down in both the tot lot and elementary play areas.
Next, new woodchips will be placed in the elementary playground and the first layer of poured-in-place will be installed in the tot lot.
Installation of the asphalt path has started.
Installation of the asphalt path has started.
Crews started pouring concrete to install curbs around the tot lot.
The basketball court has been laid out and the hoop post installed.
Grading is wrapping up and installation of the asphalt path will begin in the next week.
New benches have been installed at the play areas.
The four-seat see-saw has been installed in the tot lot.
Crews are working on grading for the basketball court next.
Crews have been working on installing the tot lot features.
Contractors were on site working on grading for the park pathway.
The Park District is working with the contractor to continue construction throughout the winter and construction will occur weather permitting.
The new curb around the elementary play area has been poured.
Installation work of the new playground curb is underway. The curb line has been framed and concrete is being poured.
The tot lot has been demolished, and the site is being prepared for the installation of the new tot lot playground equipment.
The new tot lot playground equipment has been delivered to the site.
Installation of the new play panels on the elementary playground has started.
Construction fencing has been put up, the park will remain closed until construction is complete.
Construction is expected to begin the week of September 9. During construction, the park will be closed.
The design process has been completed for the Port Clinton Playground Renovation Project. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback through the survey, listening sessions and community meeting, to help shape the final design for the project. See the tot lot rendering here, and see the 5-12 playground updates here.
Construction is expected to begin in August and be completed by November.
On Thursday, November 16, the Park District of Highland Park held a community meeting to present the proposed playground updates for Port Clinton Park and collect feedback on playground equipment options for the tot lot.
Updates include:
• new pathway design to improve park circulation
• reorientation of the basketball hoop
• updates to the 5-12 playground (rather than a full replacement of the equipment)
• replacement of the tot lot (2-5) playground.
If you were unable to attend the meeting and would like to learn more about the project and/or provide feedback, please reach out to [email protected]. The planning team will be collecting feedback until Tuesday, December 5.
This past summer many of you participated in a survey to share your feedback on Port Clinton Park. The Park District of Highland Park will host a community meeting on Thursday, November 16, 2023, at Oak Terrace Elementary School to share the proposed playground design and two playground equipment options.
The meeting will start with a brief presentation providing an overview of the feedback collected this summer, the proposed park layouts, and project timeline. The presentation will outline the Park District’s decision to restore the existing 5-12 playground equipment instead of replacing the full structure. After the presentation, participants will have the opportunity to review the tot lot equipment options and share their preferences. Feedback collected will be used to guide the final playground designs.
Meeting Details:
Date: Thursday, November 16, 2023
Time: 6-7pm
Location: Oak Terrace Elementary School, Multi-Purpose Room
See the survey results from the preliminary playground planning survey here.
We will be at Port Clinton Park on Friday, July 7 from 9:30-11:30am to collect your feedback on the playground renovation.
The Park District of Highland Park would like to hear from you!
There will be several opportunities for the community to participate in the design process and the first is the Port Clinton Playground Preliminary Planning survey. Follow this link to share your feedback in this brief survey.
