Ground Broken for Destination Playground in Travis Bryan Midtown Park

Midtown Legacy Park, a destination playground for all ages and abilities, is arriving soon in Travis Bryan Midtown Park, providing a signature experience for residents and visitors to enjoy in the world-class park.

City Council, city leadership, major donors and Lone Star Recreation representatives celebrated the launch of the playground at a ceremonial groundbreaking on Monday, May 18. Construction is expected to begin this summer, with the playground opening in early 2027.

The playground will feature 119 play components, more than 12,000 square feet of shade and enough room for parents and guardians to interact with their children. A variety of accessible components will also allow children with wheelchairs or walkers, or mothers with strollers, to enjoy the playground. 

“This destination playground will be a gathering spot for our community,” said Bryan Mayor Bobby Gutierrez. “We visited playgrounds like this across the country and we met people who traveled there just for this kind of experience. We saw that people don’t stay for ten minutes, they stay for hours. We’re excited to provide this great, free facility for families in the heart of Bryan.”

Renderings include several nods to iconic Bryan landmarks, such as The Queen Theatre and The LaSalle Hotel, and a train to symbolize Bryan’s historic ties to the railroad. The playground will be a key component in the continued evolution of Travis Bryan Midtown Park.

The project includes 32,349 square feet of playground, pavilions and sidewalks:

• 119 play components
  
  • 58 elevated play components
  • 39 elevated components accessible by ramp
  • 61 ground level components
  • Designated areas for babies and toddlers to play
  • Five bays of swings, with integrated shade
  • A 360-degree view of Travis Bryan Midtown Park from the top component
• 23,425 square feet of improved surfacing
  
  • 1,905 square feet of artificial turf for berms
  • 21,520 square feet of poured-in-place rubber shock-absorbing surface
• Three shaded pavilions with picnic tables, including two 20' x 40' pavilions and one 20' x 20' pavilion
• A total of 12,031 square feet of shade, including sail structures and pavilions
• Additional furnishings include:
  
  • 7 tables
  • 14 benches
  • 7 trash cans
  • 4 bike racks
  • 3 grills
• A restroom is planned as a separate part of the project

The Darwood Foundation, comprised of Doug and Kara French and Stylecraft Builders, Inc., donated $2 million to the city for this signature playground. Lone Star Recreation was selected to design and build the playground.

“Play shapes every one of us in some shape or form,” said Eric Edwards, principal owner of Lone Star Recreation. “This will be an epic playground for the City of Bryan, as there’s nothing like it in this part of Texas.”

Learn more about Midtown Park venues and amenities on our Midtown Park webpage.