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Two In Tow & On The Go | Cirque Park in University Place

Posted on August 7th, 2026 By: Tonya Strickland

Cirque Park entrance. Photo by Tonya Strickland. July 2026

We heard that University Place’s new Cirque Park playground was more than worth the drive over the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, and once we were there it took us about five minutes to understand why.

Spanning about 22 acres at 7250 Cirque Drive W., the park’s new inclusive playground is just over a year old since its May 2025 opening. The nature-themed playground is the result of several years of planning and fundraising with the goal of creating a place for children of all abilities. There are slides, swings (but not a lot) and seating options with good views of the playground making it easy to keep eyes on the kids. Its location also has a picnic shelter with tables, restrooms, ballfields, grassy open space, lots of parking and even an adjacent skate park.

The equipment

Playground layout. Photo by Tonya Strickland. July 2026.

Instead of separating the accessible play equipment into its own area, the inclusive features are incorporated throughout the layout. We saw ground-level entry points that made it easy for wheelchairs and other mobility gear to roll right in, wide ramps that led to elevated play panels instead of scary open drops to the ground, and several sensory toys in the musical and puzzle varieties to encourage everyone to play together rather than apart. The ground was also free of not-so-friendly wood chips and sand, with designers opting instead for a flat rubber safety surface that made pushing strollers and other gear across the playground much easier.

Our visit

The (winged?) net climber. Photo by Tonya Strickland. July 2026.

When we first arrived, Clara and Wyatt disappeared into a sprawling climbing structure shaped like some sort of insect. I can’t be sure, but I got definite winged vibes from it. Its geometry of connecting rope-net structures was quite impressive.

From left: Climbers Wyatt and Clara. Photo by Tonya Strickland. July 2026.

Perhaps it was a butterfly … since that particular pollinator seemed to have a running theme throughout the park. Shoutout to the bright orange climber with its printed “monarch” pattern panels and steel shapes to navigate through.

But it would be a minute before I realized a theme even existed since I’m the Two in Tow pack mule, (aka carrier of all the things), so the first thing I did was head to the tables to set down our water bottle menagerie, lawn blanket, snacks and whatever the heck else was in my mom bag that day. Five types of Band-aids, anyone?

I eventually wandered in after the kids, who were joined by our “Three in Tow” summer adventure pal and Gig Harbor Now history writer Greg Spadoni.

‘Three in Tow’ summer with Greg Spadoni, big kid extraordinaire. Photo by Tonya Strickland. July 2026.

Hidden objects

Ducking under twisty slides and ladders on my approach, I kept getting surprised by little hidden animal sculptures perched on the undersides of platforms and support beams. The cutest grey squirrel decoration peeked up at me first. And it had friends: more monarchs cast with surprisingly artsy antennae that curled at the ends; and a couple of bumpy tree frogs in olive green that arguably weren’t as cute but still worth mentioning.

And, finally, we must not forget the owls. The types with big, round yellow eyes that seemed to judge us from afar. In fact, I have several pictures of them in all their “secret” locations because if you’re anything like me, when you have a little sister who casually mentioned 15 years ago that those feathery, three-toed dino descendants seriously creep her out, you 100% have a camera roll full of every owl mug, painting, and knick-knack you ever come across ready to lovingly text her when she least expects it. Aren’t big sisters the best?

Overall, the hidden objects were exactly the type of thing I love in an inventive playground setup like Cirque Park. And the kids do, too. Things to search for, hidden surprises and a running theme throughout — those are the distinctive things children remember about a place.

A closer look at how arty the hidden butterflies are. Photo by Tonya Strickland. July 2026.

Climbers, climbers everywhere

If the kiddos in your life enjoy climbing, pack snacks. You may be here awhile.

As it turned out, the net climber Clara and Wyatt explored is more or less the centerpiece of Cirque Park. Kids can climb over it, through it and yes, even on top of it. As a bonus, its unnamed critter shape even includes a green plastic slide in the front of the structure. Or, maybe it’s the back? Actually, I’m OK with not knowing its exact placement in the world of insect anatomy.

Net climber. Photo by Tonya Strickland. July 2026.

However, if you know me at all, you’d remember that one of my favorite things to do with playground stories is to take pictures of all the things and then look them up on their manufacturer’s website to learn the name of each piece and what it’s made to do.

Cirque Park playground was designed by the Alabama-based company GameTime. PlayCore is its parent company, and that name is seen on some of the park signs. GameTime boasts of a full catalog of everything you could possibly think of for park-play and exercise.

The net climber, according to GameTime, is called a “GT Wave” that “combines climbing, balancing, and social play in one accessible design.” It features “a transfer platform and slip-resistant accessible path leading to a 6-foot zip slide, along with balance pods, a slackline, and activity spaces within the net.”

Sadly, there’s no mention of it being a giant winged creature with a green tongue (or something) – so the verdict is still out on that. Jokes aside, my money is on the slide being a proboscis, the long curved mouth tube of a butterfly. You can read other fun butterfly facts at the Washington Butterfly Association website.

According to the manufacturer: here’s a closer look at some other official names of things at this park:

Wiggle Climber Link — The fat green rings inside the net climber are made to be “a fun climbing activity and functional link between play elements for children ages 5 to 12 to enjoy.” They’re designed to build upper body and core strength and coordination.

Wiggle Climber Link. Photo by Tonya Strickland. July 2026.

The hidden woodland creatures are known as “integrated park accents” that are “designed to catch children’s attention and enhance imaginative play.”

The pretty rainbow shade things overhead are called “ShadowPlay” flowers. Standing tall as giant sculptures, they’re outfitted in jewel-toned acrylic panels that catch sunlight and cast stained-glass-like patterns onto the ground. Kids can spin the ShadowPlay poles from ground and watch the hues shift in different ways as the light shines through, depending on the time of day as the sun moves across the sky.

Clara and a ShadowPlay flower. Photo by Tonya Strickland. July 2026.

Clara looking crazy tall on the ShadowPlay flower. Wyatt, too. Photo by Tonya Strickland. July 2026.

Tot’s Nature Discovery Table — is the name for the raised nature table under one of shorter slides. It’s made for children ages 6 to 23 months to explore hand-eye coordination and sense of touch, like when toddlers trace the raised shapes with their fingertips. The ground-level design makes it handy for toddler height.

Tot’s Nature Discovery Table. Photo by Tonya Strickland. July 2026.

The large multi-rider sway toy is called a Rock N Raft. It’s designed as an “inclusive motion activity for people of all ages and abilities,” but is designed specifically for age ranges of 2 to 5 years and 5 to 12 years. It was built to “accommodate up to six passengers, including individuals seated in mobility devices,” according to GameTime. “The wheelchair-accessible design glides with a gentle swaying motion utilizing a large, flush-to-the-ground deck surface so individuals in mobility devices can roll straight on and play alongside their friends without needing to transfer out of their seats.”

Rock N Raft. Photo by Tonya Strickland. July 2026.

The “Inclusive Whirl” is a modern-era merry-go-round with a ground-level entry point, built-in seating, spaces for a wheelchair, and handrails that people of varying abilities can spin together. Greg played on the Whirl with Clara and Wyatt for what felt like forever. Perhaps it was every bit as exciting as the 1950s and 60s merry-go-rounds of his childhood – all without the inevitable concussion!

Swings: There are a few swings here, including one or two belt swings, a disk swing and a hardback support swing.

Final take

We’ve visited a lot of playgrounds over the years, and many are memorable because they’re big. Cirque Park is memorable because it’s thoughtful. The climbing challenges keep older kids engaged. The sensory experiences reward curiosity. The whirly thing brings joy to spinners and riders throughout the generations. And the owls are always there to torment a younger sister.

See ya out there!