The Kids Park at Sims Park has been a town jewel for the Gulf Shores community for the past 30 years, entertaining two generations of kids — and adults.

The planning and design process for its renovation and reconstruction started in April and should be complete in July, according to Grant Brown, the director of recreation and cultural affairs and public information officer for Gulf Shores. In 1996, Kids Park was originally built with Leathers & Associates, a New York-based playground supplier, and to keep the nostalgic aesthetic, the city partnered with them again to maintain that same charm for the new park.

The project has largely been community-driven with the city opening up a survey for input. The city also gave students from first to third grade a chance to draw the "Reimagined Kids Park" and submit ideas, all of which will be taken into consideration for Leathers & Associates' design.

The project has about a $1 million budget, which is funded through the city's 2026 Capital Plan.

"$40,000 of it was the design, so that leaves us about $900,000 to actually construct. We'll be able to do a lot of work ourselves to spread those dollars further," Brown said.

Known as a "hybrid build," the majority of the building process is going to be completed by the Leathers contractors, which will be assisted by city workers to help keep costs down and allow more money to be spent on elements of the playground, according to Brown. There has also been discussion to have a community build where residents can take part in assisting the construction process, just like last time.

That community involvement hits home for Brown, who has generational ties to the park.

When the original Kids Park was constructed, Brown and his wife, Sarah, lived nearby with their newborn daughter and volunteered to help. They ended up helping to build the submarine portion of the playground.

Brown said in 2019, when the city initially proposed to re-do the park, Phillip Harris, Gulf Shores mayor pro tempore, took part in the community — and council — push to keep the wooden infrastructure as an essential element for the reconstruction.

When plastic and metal playground systems were brought up as options, Brown recalled Harris stating, "... A playground like those, I will go and I will watch my kids play. A playground like we have there, that Leathers did, that kind of charming and quaintness and structure, I will actually go in there and play with my grandchildren."

The beloved wooden park is set to be completed by late November or early December.