“You get a lot of creativity from being out in the woods and making your own fun. And I am hoping children come here and get a taste of that.”
-Anne Springs Close
Location
Lake Haigler Entrance
2573 Lake Haigler Drive, Fort Mill, SC 29715
Hours
7am - sunset
Unless otherwise posted for a private event.
Please note: Summer camp & preschool will utilize the playground on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays from 9-9:30am.
Schroering Forest Playground
The mission of this unique play space is to reteach children how to play in the woods and is a collaborative effort between Greenway staff and the Natural Learning Initiative (NLI), a research and professional development unit at the NC State University College of Design. The playscape and structures are specially crafted to help activate sensory skills, foster creativity and problem-solving through free play, reduce stress, increase physical activity, develop confidence in the outdoors, improve cognitive abilities and facilitate outdoor learning.
Key features of the Schroering Forest Playground include a central climbing structure for older children and a corresponding structure for younger guests. The Greenway procured structures from German play equipment designer and constructor, Richter Spielgeräte via APE Studio, Inc., US partner of Richter Spielgeräte. Richter Spielgeräte focuses on safety, sustainability, environmental friendliness, play value and high-quality materials. The company handcrafts the wood, which is sourced from Austria. The six play structures ordered from Richter Spielgeräte, including one- and two-story timber houses, a sound arch, dendrophone structures, and a versatile snail structure, providing various opportunities for sensory and social development.
Made possible by the generous vision and financial contributions of Marty and Vesime Schroering, among a handful of other private donors, this natural playscape will further the Greenway’s mission by providing outdoor recreation opportunities for members and visitors of all ages.
Thank you to the generous donors who made the playground possible!
Marty & Vesime Schroering
Kingsley & Fletcher McNeil
Ashley & Steve Allen
Patsy & Dennis Bowman
Baxter Cabinets
Carol & Charles Boyd
The Chavan Family
Kathy Sizemore