Last week, the City of Longmont released an artist’s rendition of the new construction improvements that will occur at Lanyon Park as part of the Resilient Together Project. The project will include “parks-cooling amenities” such as shade structures, swings, gathering spaces, and water elements at Kensington and Lanyon Neighborhood Parks.
“Longmont is experiencing hotter summers and a rapidly growing population,” said Tatiana Parfenova, Senior Project Manager for Parks and Recreation in the City of Longmont. “Many neighborhoods — particularly Kensington, Lanyon, and Spangler — are disproportionately impacted by extreme heat due to limited tree cover and fewer cooling resources. In 2023, Longmont conducted a Heat Watch campaign, citywide survey, and targeted outreach in these neighborhoods to identify community-driven cooling solutions.”
The first phase of the project began last month and is expected to be completed by the end of the year. There will be a shade shelter and gathering space added at Kensington Park near the labyrinth and a swing set by the playground. Lanyon Park will have a new gathering space and a mister to help people cool off during the hot summer months. Construction is expected to begin this fall for a shade shelter at Spangler Park.
Kensington Park will also have a splash pad designed and installed in 2026 as the second phase of this project. This is due to funding provided by Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), a nonprofit that invests lottery proceeds into conservation and recreation projects in all 64 counties of Colorado.
“Longmont’s proposal [to GOCO] stood out because it was based on robust community engagement — especially through the Heat Watch campaign, which involved residents in identifying preferred cooling solutions,” Parfenova said. “The project also integrates environmental data, and equity analysis, which demonstrates a strong strategic foundation. GOCO saw this as an opportunity to support an innovative, community-driven model for climate adaptation and outdoor equity — and their investment made it possible to bring more of these improvements to life.”
