It was a cool Saturday morning that welcomed many visitors to the grand opening of the newest playground to come to Great Bend, The Tot Spot.
Children and their families started to arrive around 9 a.m. to get a firsthand look at the new playground and to be the first ones to play on it.
Eight benches placed along the outside of the playground allow parents to relax and at the same time to be able to be close to their children while they play.
The play area is shaded by a canopy.
Jan Peters, president of the Great Bend Rotary Club, spoke at the ribbon cutting ceremony about some of the people involved in the project.
“It was the combination of the Rotary Club and the Barton County Young Professionals that really put this over the edge,” Peters said. “There was such great a need for a playground for small children and it is located in the perfect place.”
Sponsors held a “Hot Tot” contest and the winners, 4-year-old Aubree Lewis and 1-year-old Zander Holinde, were invited to cut the ribbon.
Another guest speaker at the ceremony was Great Bend City Councilwoman Allene Owen.
“This means a lot to the city of Great Bend. It brings a quality of life to the city,” Owen said. “It’s great to have a partnership with the sponsors. We could not have done it with out them.”

Playground
The Tot Spot is an early childhood playground located in the northeast corner of Brit Spaugh Park that is targeted for children under the age of 5. It is centered around musical and educational elements that will encourage physical activity and early childhood development in a safe environment.
With a maximum deck height of 48 inches, this playground is designed to reduce the likelihood of injuries for toddlers. An infant learning panel also helps include the “tots” under the age of 2 who aren’t mobile enough to climb on equipment.
The playground also features a bonded rubber surface that is smooth and makes the playground even safer for children to play on.
This playground will be open year round for families and children to enjoy.