Kelley Park
Behind the Build: Kelley Park's Purple Bear Playground in Apple Valley, MN
Midwest Playscapes managed the playground build as the installer, with in-house CPSI- and CRPA-certified crews taking it from early construction through the final details.
If you're a landscape architect weighing timber for your next park, school, or mixed-use project, here's what made Kelley Park work, and what it can teach us about specifying sustainable play.
A park redesigned around community
Kelley Park sits at the center of Apple Valley, surrounded by apartments, shops, and the city's summer concert series. The city rebuilt it as part of its 2023 Parks Referendum, with Confluence leading the landscape architecture and JLG Architects designing the park buildings. The redesign added a relocated performance stage with a sloped amphitheater lawn, a recirculating splash pad, a shelter, an ADA-accessible restroom building, and a looped trail system.
The centerpiece is the Purple Bear Playground. The park celebrated its grand opening on Saturday, September 26, 2026.
Meet the bear: custom timber play by Earthscape
The playground's signature piece is a giant purple bear that appears to lean against a multi-level timber lookout tower. Kids climb through the bear's body, crawl beneath its feet, and scale the paw-print panel to reach the tower. A yellow tube slide spirals down from the top, and a smaller bear-head tunnel, timber log climber, post-and-rope balance course, and low play deck round out the space.
Earthscape, a design-build studio based in Wallenstein, Ontario, specializes in this kind of bespoke sculptural play. Their team blends landscape architecture, industrial design, engineering, and carpentry, and they work directly with landscape architects from concept sketch through fabrication. Every piece is handcrafted in their shop after engineers and certified playground safety inspectors approve the design, then installed on site under their supervision.
The result is a play structure that doubles as a landmark. It gives Kelley Park an instantly recognizable identity, the kind of feature families drive across the metro to see.
From shop to site: how the build came together
Earthscape handcrafts its custom structures in its Ontario shop and ships the components to site for installation. That's where Midwest Playscapes came in. As the installer, our team managed the Kelley Park playground build, coordinating with Earthscape, Confluence, Kraus-Anderson, and the shelter and surfacing partners.
Our installations are handled by in-house crews who are Certified Playground Safety Inspectors (CPSI, through the National Playground Safety Institute) and CRPA certified. The people setting posts and tightening hardware know the safety standards the structure is built to. Keeping design consultants and installers on one team means direct coordination, tighter quality control, and a finished playground that matches the approved plans.
Why the wood matters
Earthscape treats wood as an intentional, ethical choice rather than just an aesthetic one. Here's what that means in practice for designers and owners:
Naturally durable species, minimal chemicals. Earthscape's most common species are Alaskan Yellow Cedar, Robinia (black locust), Accoya, and White Oak, chosen per component for strength and decay resistance. Bark and sapwood are removed so only the durable heartwood remains, which reduces the need for chemical treatment.
Responsible sourcing. Timber comes from FSC-certified sources, regions with strict forest-practice codes, or small local suppliers.
Low-impact color. Most wood is left natural. Color, like the bear's signature purple, comes from optional water-based stains.
Built for Minnesota winters. Wood is a poor conductor of heat, so it doesn't get as cold as metal or plastic in winter or as hot in summer. That makes it well suited to climates with big seasonal swings.
Designed to last. Earthscape designs its structures for 20+ years. Over time, the wood weathers to a silver patina and develops small surface checks, which are normal and expected.
Sustainability you can quantify
One-for-one reforestation. Since 2020, Earthscape has planted at least one tree for every tree used in production—24,624 trees in total.
2024 impact. The company used about 4,050 trees and planted more than 7,650, reduced its carbon footprint by 2,725 tonnes of CO₂ through material selection, reforestation, and waste reuse, and helped restore 2.5 hectares of land.
Circular practices. Sawdust from log processing goes to local farmers as animal bedding, and offcuts are given away as firewood or hobby stock instead of landfilled.
Employee-owned. Earthscape has been employee-owned since 2020, with about 80% of eligible employees as shareholders, which supports long-term stability for clients and the warranty behind each project.
Compared with plastic-heavy composite structures, timber stores carbon, carries lower embodied energy, and gives children a tactile connection to natural materials, something increasingly rare in built environments.
Takeaways for landscape architects
Lead with story. A single character piece like the bear gives a park a brand. Earthscape's process is built to translate a community theme into a buildable, compliant structure.
Specify timber with confidence. Earthscape structures are reviewed to ASTM F1487 in the U.S., CSA Z614 in Canada, and EN 1176 internationally, with beneficial risk kept in the design.
Pair natural with bold. Kelley Park shows that timber doesn't have to look rustic. Water-based color and poured-in-place surfacing can make a natural playground feel vibrant.
Plan for patina and maintenance. Build owner expectations early: silvering, checking, and periodic hardware checks are part of the life of a wood playground.
Consider Collections for tighter budgets. Earthscape's pre-designed, pre-engineered Collections (towers, log jams, post-and-rope, and more) offer the same craftsmanship at lower cost, typically with 4–12 week lead times.
Thank you to our project partners
Kelley Park came together through strong collaboration across every discipline:
Earthscape – Playground equipment
RCP Shelters – Park shelters
No Fault Surfaces – Playground surfacing
Confluence – Landscape architecture
Kraus-Anderson – Construction
Bring custom timber play to your next project
Since 1991, Midwest Playscapes has partnered with landscape architects across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota, with more than 2,000 installations completed. We partner with Earthscape alongside brands like Playworld, and we support your project at whatever stage you bring us in.
Complimentary consultations, site planning, and 3D CAD design
Early budget alignment and constructability review to reduce RFIs and late value engineering
In-house, CPSI- and CRPA-certified installation crews, with full or community-build options
Safety inspections, written audits, resurfacing, and playground relocations
Lunch & Learn sessions on designing fully customized playground structures
FAQ
Who designed the Kelley Park playground in Apple Valley, MN? Confluence led the landscape architecture for Kelley Park's redesign. The custom purple bear play structure was designed and fabricated by Earthscape, and Midwest Playscapes installed the playground and managed its build. Kraus-Anderson handled construction.
What is the purple bear at Kelley Park made of? The bear is a custom timber play structure by Earthscape. Earthscape builds with naturally durable wood species and uses water-based stains for color.
What wood does Earthscape use for playgrounds? Earthscape most commonly uses Alaskan Yellow Cedar, Robinia (black locust), Accoya, and White Oak. Only the durable heartwood is used, and timber comes from FSC-certified or responsibly managed sources.
Are wood playgrounds sustainable? Timber is renewable, stores carbon, and has lower embodied energy than plastic or steel. Earthscape also plants at least one tree for every tree it uses and has planted 24,624 trees since 2020.
How long does a timber playground last? Earthscape designs its structures for 20+ years. Longevity depends on climate, use, and regular maintenance such as clearing debris and checking hardware.
Do wood playgrounds meet safety standards? Yes. Earthscape structures are reviewed to ASTM F1487 in the U.S., CSA Z614 in Canada, and EN 1176 in Europe.
Are wood playgrounds good in cold climates like Minnesota? Yes. Wood is a poor conductor of heat, so it stays more comfortable to touch than metal or plastic in both winter cold and summer heat.
When did the new Kelley Park open? Kelley Park's grand opening was held on September 26, 2026, at 6855 Fortino Street in Apple Valley, Minnesota.
Who installed the Kelley Park playground? Midwest Playscapes installed the playground and managed its build, using in-house CPSI- and CRPA-certified crews.
How does a playground installer help landscape architects? A design-build installer like Midwest Playscapes supports landscape architects with budget alignment, constructability review, 3D CAD design, and certified installation, which reduces RFIs and keeps the built playground true to design intent.
Visit Kelley Park:
6855 Fortino St, Apple Valley, MN
