Playgrounds have come a long way from the playgrounds of yore, with metal swingsets and slides installed on hard asphalt.

Now you see elaborate structures made from wood and other materials, built instead on safer wood chips and other soft items.

Kids Cove, located at Ellwood A. Mattson Park, is a great example of fun yet safe playground. The community came together in 1996 to build the structure, which has been a gathering spot for families ever since.

However, Kids Cove is not immune to wear and tear, and that’s where “Kids Cove 2” comes in.

According to a website devoted to the effort at www.kidscovemqt.com, the playground is outdated with equipment that needs replacement. Also, playground safety standards and the trend toward inclusivity have evolved over the decades.

We’re glad to hear, then, that the city of Marquette was awarded a Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant of $300,000 to replace the original Kids Cove. The grant requires a $300,000 match, though, and the Marquette Playgrounds for All Committee is committed to raising the needed funds.

At a recent Marquette City Commission meeting, it unanimously approved a Professional Services Contract with Sanders & Czapski Associates of Marquette. The city wil pay up to $77,000 to the firm to oversee the playground’s design and construction.

The new playground is expected to have a rubber ground surface that minimizes injuries from falls, plus the equipment will allow parents, grandparents and caregivers to see their charges more easily. The playground also will let children of various abilities play and learn together.

Plans are expected to be finalized for commission approval in October, with construction to follow in spring 2022.

Kids Cove is a jewel of the community, regardless of whether residents have children or grandchildren.

It’s an interesting structure now and a main draw at Ellwood A. Mattson Park, and should be even more of an attraction after Kids Cove 2 is completed.