What are your earliest memories? First grade teacher? First best friend? How about first park and playground?

My first park was Erb Park in Appleton, Wis. I practically lived there growing up. I recall falling off the slide and somehow surviving.

Playgrounds built today offer so much more to kids of all ages. Some 50 playgrounds in Colorado Springs are approaching old age. Some remain empty because of outdated equipment. And some will soon be too unsafe to use.

Each year, park staff presents a list of capital projects to the Parks Advisory Board. For 2025, there is only enough money to replace one or two playgrounds. Even more discouraging, playgrounds are only replaced every other year. On alternate years, one or two aging irrigation systems are replaced. When playgrounds become unsafe, staff removes pieces of it. As you drive around the community, you’ll notice empty, partial playgrounds because replacement parts are no longer available.

The third “best city to live in” (according to U.S. News and World Report) should be able to do better.

Plenty of people complain about potholes and bad roads. Why aren’t parents complaining about playgrounds? My guess is many are too busy working long hours to support those kids.

If we believe time spent in nature is good for a child’s physical and mental health and agree that a neighborhood park and playground are often a child’s first foray into the outdoors, we need to invest more in playgrounds.

In neighborhoods, such as Patty Jewett, Boulder and Oak Meadows, residents have come together to demand better playgrounds and parks. They’ll admit it’s not easy, but they were able to accomplish more because they came together.

As a community, we should not settle for subpar playgrounds. When two of the area’s dog parks are considered among the best in the country, don’t our children deserve the same?

Davies is the executive director of the Trails and Open Space Coalition.