A new toddler playground is coming to Morton Park! Playground equipment intended for children ages 2-5 is being installed this October and will complement the existing equipment geared for 5-12 year olds.
Through a generous donation by the Hamilton Family Charitable Trust, these improvements will better serve the community by providing a park that is appropriate for all ages to enjoy. The park will also be handicap accessible.
Residents will see the equipment being installed throughout the month of October, with some excavation and regrading to make it handicap accessible. Morton Park was named as one of Newport Residents’ favorite parks, when surveyed for the Newport Open Space Master Plan in 2017 and has been beloved by generations of children for its sledding hill.
This historic park, designed by Frederick Law Olmstead, was donated to the City by Levi Morton, a future Vice President of the United States, who drove one of the first rivets into the Statue of Liberty’s big toe as the Ambassador to France. This picturesque park includes a volleyball court and a large picnic area. Morton Park is permanently protected with an Aquidneck Land Trust Easement, ensuring its role as an integral part of Newport’s open space.
Dory Hamilton Benson, HFCT Board Member, says, “The Hamilton Family Charitable Trust believes that creative playgrounds can be the heart of our communities and provide gathering spaces for kids of all ages. Children learn social, physical, and emotional skills at community playgrounds. We are happy to support inventive spaces where children can interact with one another, become stronger physically, challenge their imaginations, and have fun. We hope to provide additional pre-school play spaces to other community parks in Newport in the future.”
