July 24, 2025 By Carol Britton Meyer
While the grand opening for the new Hingham Community Playground near Cronin Field will take place this fall, families have already been enjoying all that it has to offer since it opened on July 3.
“We’ve been working on this project for a long time and opening it to the public is a great joy,” Recreation Commission Chair Vicki Donlan told the Hingham Anchor. “The community has been very generous with its donations.”
The new playground features a variety of climbing structures for different ages, musical instruments, a child-size school house, grocery store, lemonade stand, barn, a zip line, swings, a little kids’ play area with a canopy, newly planted mature trees, a picnic area, and many benches.
The $1.4 million playground was made possible by a grant from the Hingham Community Preservation fund in the amount of $1,055,228, and donations by Best Chevrolet, “patrons” Rita and Kevin Gill, and “friends” Kathi and Bryce Blair, as well as other generous donations by the community helped the Recreation Commission fund the balance.
A sign thanking major contributors greets visitors as they enter the playground. As a tribute to the past, a rock with the plaque naming the original benefactors, patrons, and playground committee, Hingham, Rotary Club, Selectmen, and Parks and Recreation Department for their efforts to bring the 1999 playground forward is prominently situated at the front of the playground.
The icing on the cake is that thanks to a $250,000 state grant, there’s an accessible pathway around the playground that provides accessible access from all parking lots to all recreational facilities around the site.
“The Hingham Recreation Commission is proud to show off the new playground, in-line hockey court, basketball court, baseball field, and accessible walkways, “ Donlan said. “Come and see for yourself!”
It has been pointed out that there is no longer a sandbox at the playground. Is there any thought to putting the sandbox back? Not sure why this feature would have been left out of the new design.
My grandson loves this playground! His parents too! I plan to take him asap. The only suggestion i have is possibly — in future designs — please consider making the “danger zones” turf around/under moving swings and ziplines a different color. We could teach oblivious littles to walk around these areas!!