Play structure in original place

I think the play equipment should remain off to the side for several reasons:

1. There’s no clear sight line in the park when it’s in the middle. It’s important for keeping toddlers safe to be able to easily see where they are.
2. Moving the okay equipment to the middle turns this space from a park into a playground. Lots of adults without kids use King park as a gathering space to chat under the pavilions or on the bench by the LFL, but adults without kids won’t gather if it feels like just a playground. It serves more people to keep it a park that has play equipment in it.
3. The city hosts events at this park sometimes, swearing in ceremonies, time with Nola the dog etc, and without the middle gathering space the function is lost.
4. The open space is a nice place for dog owners to unleash a dog (when no one else is using the park) and give the pups some exercise with a ball. There aren’t a lot of areas in Hyattsville where you can safely unleash a dog. I know it’s not a dog park, but I’ve always thought it was nice that in the dusky hours when kids have cleared out people taking their dogs out for walks after works can use the space this way.
5. Big kids often used the green space for soccer or running games. This is good for families with mixed age groups to still be able to play together.
6. The shade provided by the Masonic lodge kept the play equipment cool for the first half of the day. Not only is the shade important for sun protection, but littles can’t play on physically hot surfaces. We have to avoid Hyatt park in the afternoons during the summer because of this.

The placement of the play structure is my biggest concern for the redesign. Otherwise, I’m really looking forward to the landscape and aesthetic updates proposed - with the one suggestion that sturdy native plants are chosen since flowers are so tempting to little hands.