The Marquette County Land and Water Conservation department had a vision to bring three natural playscapes to the town of Montello, WI over the course of several years. John Muir Memorial Park was first priority.

 

County resources offered several stands of Black locust trees, which produce the premier, rot-resistant wood prized in the natural play industry. The area playscape committee envisioned using logs from these trees to create a play destination among the slopes and woods of the country park. In the fall of 2023, the vision came to life as GRG designed and installed a custom playscape that accentuates the topography of the park. From the lookout tower, one can survey the landscape: a plunging embankment slide, hugged by a log and boulder scramble, and a rangy log climber further down the slope. The play area is set among the trees just steps from the lakeshore. An incredible collaborative construction effort, GRG provided design, construction, and playscape amenities, while Marquette County provided the site work, as well as boulders and the beautiful Black locust logs.