The History
Nestled in the heart of downtown, Cambier Park stands as a beloved oasis for residents and visitors alike. Established in the 1940s, Cambier Park has long served as a cherished retreat for relaxation and recreation for people of all ages. The current playground, constructed in the 1990s, is a testament to community spirit. Through a collaborative community effort, the current playground replaced the beloved Candy Cane City playground, a nostalgic landmark from the 1960s. Despite its popularity among residents and visitors of all ages, the existing playground has shown significant signs of wear and tear over the past decade, prompting the need for extensive repairs. Just as it was hard to say goodbye to "Candy Cane City", the same will be said for the current playground as a new unique playground will begin its legacy. Playgrounds are a staple in our parks and finding that perfect match is something that takes a "team" effort from staff and the community. We are at an exciting place in time where we get to set the standard on our next iconic destination playground here in Naples.
The Process
In the spring of 2022, during the Capital Improvements Projects (CIP) presentation to the Mayor and City Council, the necessity to replace the playground was brought to the forefront. The replacement of the playground is a pivotal step in ensuring the continued enjoyment and safety of this treasured community asset. Due to Hurricane Ian and recovery efforts, the playground project was postponed only to be delayed again by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.
In 2024, City staff developed a conceptual design for the Cambier Park Playground replacement. This initial design was intended to generate conversation and serve as a starting point for imagining the potential theme and appearance of the new playground, which is exactly what it did. To gather input, the City hosted two public meetings and launched a community survey. Residents were encouraged to share their ideas and help shape a design that reflects the needs and character of the community. Based on this initial engagement, the City Council directed staff to seek additional community input and develop a project scope based on the feedback received.
In August of 2025, the City launched FlashVote, a professionally designed survey software, that was comprised of only City residents. The results from the FlashVote survey were similar to the survey results in 2024.
In November of 2025, staff presented the FlashVote results, along with recommendations, to develop a scope based on this information to City Council. The City Council advised staff to take the next steps including issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) or Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to begin receiving designs. The process will include the Community Services Advisory Board and City Council after RFP/RFQ process has concluded.
The planning and design process will take several months, and the construction timeline will be dependent on which design and contractor is selected. Once the contractor is selected, we will be able to layout a better timeline on when we can anticipate the new playground to open.
Current Playground Status
The current playground has served the community well for over 30 years. However, it has exceeded the expected life of a playground, which is between 15 to 20 years. Some of the issues with the existing playground are:
- Structural and material deterioration
- Non-inclusive opportunities
- Falling short of current playground safety standards
- Maintenance challenges due to the unavailability of replacement parts
On October 30, 2025, after inspection of the playground, staff determined the playground had exceeded its useful life and posed major safety risks for users which could not be addressed through repairs. The playground has been closed indefinitely. Staff are working with a contractor to start the removal process to eliminate the potential safety risks and to provide a space for kids to use in the interim, until the new playground can be constructed. The plan is to remove the main portion of the playground structures on both sides leaving the following play features, while the City moves through the procurement process to replace the playground:
- 2-5-Year-Old playground:
Swings
Shade structures - 6-12-Year-Old playground:
Climber
Shade structures
Swings
All monkey bar towers
The playground project has been funded in the current fiscal year and the intent is to replace the playground with a new playground reflecting the needs of the community.
On November 24, 2025 demolition of the playground began and is still currently ongoing. Further updates will be made periodically.
Progress Update
The Cambier Park Playground Replacement Project, BID 26-002, Cambier Park Playground Replacement RFP, closed on Tuesday, February 17, 2026.
On Friday, March 6, 2026, the Evaluation Committee evaluated 5 proposals from the following companies: Bliss Products and Services, Inc., Miracle Recreation Equipment Company, Playcore Wisconsin, Inc. dba Gametime, Playmore West, Inc., Vetor Contracting Services, LLC.
The Evaluation Committee decided that the shortlisted vendors would be the top 3 out of 5 submittals. The shortlisted vendors include:
- Playmore West, Inc.
- Playcore Wisconsin, Inc. dba Gametime
- Miracle Recreation Equipment Company
The shortlisted vendors will be conducting presentations to the Evaluation Committee on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. After the presentations, the Evaluation Committee shortlisted vendors final rankings will be forwarded to the Community Service Advisory Board (CSAB) for an additional round of evaluations. The shortlisted vendors will be required to present to the Community Services Advisory Board (CSAB) on Tuesday, April 21, 2026.
On April 21, 2026, shortlisted vendors conducted their presentations to the Community Services Advisory Board (CSAB) for them to develop a final ranking. The ranking was as follows:
- Playmore West, Inc.
- Playcore Wisconsin, Inc. dba Gametime
- Miracle Recreation Equipment Company
At the May 6, 2026, City Council Regular meeting, a presentation for the purpose of selecting a vendor for the design and construction services for the Cambier Park Playground and a recommendation on the best design and construction option presented was conducted by Community Services Director, Chad Merritt and Deputy Director Aaron Hopkins.
In addition to the presentation from the Community Services Department on May 6, 2026, at the May 20, 2026, City Council Regular meeting, another round of presentations was conducted by the three companies: Playmore West, Inc., Playcore Wisconsin, Inc. dba GameTime, and Miracle Recreation Equipment Company, to provide additional information related to the design submitted for the purpose of selecting a vendor for the design and construction services of the playground.
At the conclusion of the three companies’ presentations, a motion by Councilman Barton was to proceed with the design from Playcore Wisconsin, Inc. dba GameTime and directed staff to negotiate a contract for City Council approval.
The design award contract is scheduled to be on the June 17, 2026,City Council Regular meeting agenda.