A Playground in the Trees – Coming to Valdese Lakeside Park

Friends of the Valdese Rec is excited to begin fundraising for a new $350,000 Beanstalk Builders playground at Valdese Lakeside Park.

Roy and Phyllis Sweezy have provided the first $70,000 in seed funding, allowing the project to move forward much sooner than we originally thought possible. Now, we are inviting the community to help bring this special new amenity to life. The goal is to have funding in place Spring 2027 and start construction at that time.

Designed for Valdese Lakeside Park

This will not be a traditional metal-and-plastic playground.

Beanstalk Builders creates imaginative play environments using natural materials that will complement the wooded character of Valdese Lakeside Park. The playground’s locust wood, climbing elements, rope features, and treehouse-inspired design will blend naturally with the park’s suspension bridge, timber-frame pavilion, trails, and surrounding forest.

Tucked among the trees on the west side of the Pavilion and Open Green, the playground will give children a place to climb, balance, swing, explore, and use their imaginations while families enjoy one of Valdese’s most treasured outdoor spaces.

A playground has long been included in the Valdese Lakeside Park Master Plan. The playground will add another reason for families to visit the park—and another experience that helps make Valdese Lakeside Park a destination for people of all ages.

What Will Be Included

The planned playground will feature (shown in images above):

An 8-foot play tower
Climbing platform access
A log ladder
An 8-foot climbing wall
An 8-foot slide
An 8-foot Mountain Sky Hammock
A two-bay, four-seat locust swing set
Two treehouse platforms
Rope cargo-net access
A cable bridge connecting the treehouse platforms
A fitness and challenge path
A stump jump
A cargo-net traverse
Swinging platforms
A suspended balance beam
A rope postman’s walk
A bouldering forest

The project cost will also include engineered wood-fiber playground surfacing, site grading, installation, and final inspection.

Become a Playground Builder

Every gift will help build this one-of-a-kind playground designed specifically for Valdese Lakeside Park.

Individuals, families, businesses, civic organizations, and community groups are invited to be part of this exciting project. Gifts of every size will help us create a place where children can explore, families can make memories, and future generations can enjoy the natural beauty of the park.

$70,000 of $350,000 raised to date.

Donate today and help us build a playground in the trees at Valdese Lakeside Park.

$10,000+ — Canopy Champions
$5,000+ — Treehouse Builders
$1,000+ — Play Tower Partners
$500+ — Adventure Climbers
$100+ — Friends of Play
Gifts of any amount — Playground Supporters

Example of a Beanstalk System in Cramerton

FVR will cover 5 years of maintenance – $800 a year for inspection, $500 every other year for in-house staining.