Commissioners provide $2.5 million facelift to Cooper River Park playground
Monday, June 09, 2025
The Board of Commissioners will unveil the newly renovated William G. Rohrer Children’s Playground at Cooper River Park. The playground on North Park Drive in Pennsauken is a significant amenity, garnering more visitors than any other playground in the county’s 4,100 acres of parkland.
“This playground has been well loved for many years, so it was time for some much-needed upgrades,” said Commissioner Jeffrey Nash, liaison to the Parks Department. “We know how much this playground means to this community, and we are thrilled to welcome the public back, just in time for summer.”
The $2.5 million project consisted of:
- Installation of new playground and fitness areas
- Including poured-in-place rubber with an underdrain system.
- Construction of new concrete sidewalks for pedestrian circulation.
- Construction of park amenities, including drinking fountain, waste receptacles, shade structure, picnic tables and benches.
- Electrical and plumbing utility work for the installation of the new irrigation system and drinking fountains.
- Landscape, topsoil and seeding
“This is more than just a playground; it is a cherished place that thousands of children and families have flocked to for fun, to connect with their neighbors and to enjoy the beauty that is Cooper River Park,” said Commissioner Deputy Director Ed McDonnell. “Quality, outdoor green spaces provide our residents with endless enrichment and the Board of Commissioners will always invest in the upkeep and improvement of the spaces for those who call Camden County their home.”
The project was funded through a $1.7 million grant from the state’s Green Acres Program and a $750,000 Urban Parks grant.
Cooper River Park, planned and engineered more than 100 years ago by Charles Levitt, encompasses 346 acres through Pennsauken, Cherry Hill, Collingswood and Haddon Township. In addition to the playground, the park’s amenities include: the Camden County Boathouse, pavilions, a softball field, a cross-country course, the Camden County Golf Academy, the Cooper River Yacht Club, two bike trails, Jack Curtis Stadium, a track, picnic areas, a bocce court and more. As a tri-state destination, Cooper River Park, was named a Great Place in New Jersey by the American Planning Association-New Jersey Chapter (APA-NJ). In addition, it is the home of the Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta, the largest high school and college rowing competition in the nation.