Aspen seeks public input for proposed Wagner Park remodel 

Aspen’s Wagner Park playground, affectionately referred to as “the tooth park,” is aging and due for a remodel as the structure begins to deteriorate. Public input is being assessed through a survey open until July 12.

The Wagner Park playground has a hammock, slide, other small play features, including the concrete structure resembling a tooth that the park is renowned for. The tooth structure itself is made of a concrete and fiber composite, but as it has weathered, it is beginning to fall apart. Holes are beginning to form in the facade, and while the city is patching them up as they occur, the structure is at the end of its usable lifespan. 

The deterioration compounded with the park’s inherent danger, especially for younger children, warrants a redesign. Because of the park’s cultural value to Aspenites, the city is looking for input before they go ahead with a renovation. 

“It’s geared more towards older kids, not so much the younger two to five age group,” Mike Tunte, the landscape architect and construction manager for Aspen Parks and Open Space, said. “It requires pretty hands-on interaction by parents.”

The proposed design for the new park, which can be found on the website with the survey, was designed by Earthscape Play, the same company that installed the play structure at Herron Park. The design is only one iteration and won’t be finalized until after public input. 

“Our current concept for Wagner Park playground is inspired by an aspen grove,” Tunte said. “We want to take a pause and hear from our community members and see what people think about that approach.”

The survey is an opportunity to preserve the current tooth structure. The park needs an upgrade, but the public can decide what the upgrade will look like. Although the park has only been around since the early 2000s, it has become a landmark in Aspen. 

“It gives us a chance to integrate some of our community’s values about what we finally build out on the site,” Tunte said.

To submit your feedback, visit aspencommunityvoice.com/wagner-park-playground-remodel.