11-year-old girl's crayon drawing gets immortalized as a real playground at her local park

[Marshy]

 

When an 11-year-old from Clearfield, Utah, picked up her crayons, she had more than art in mind—she had a vision. Rosili Olson wanted a safer place for her younger sisters to play at the park just down the street, so she sketched out her ideal playground and presented it to the city’s Parks & Recreation department. Her thoughtful design, complete with a twisting slide, rock wall, and rope climb, made such an impression that city officials decided to turn her drawing into reality.

 

The new play area, now called Bicentennial Park, reflects the heart and creativity Rosili poured into her original sketch. Construction began earlier this year, with Rosili reviewing mock-ups along the way to ensure the playground matched her design. From the right equipment to the perfect color palette, her input was central to bringing the project to life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Eric Howe, head of the Parks & Recreation department, noted that Rosili’s timing was perfect. The park “was already budgeted, but we didn’t have any specifics,” Howe told the Standard-Examiner. Once the committee saw the effort she poured into her drawings, it made sense to honor her ideas.

 

The playground officially opened on September 24, 2024, with Rosili, now 12, attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Beaming with pride, she told attendees, “It’s even better than I imagined. It’s so beautiful.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The new playground has quickly become a neighborhood favorite, giving children a fun, safe space to explore. Clearfield’s officials shared their enthusiasm on social media, highlighting Rosili’s dedication to the project. “She reviewed multiple versions… until we had checked all her boxes and got the colors right.”


 

• https://mymodernmet.com/rosili-olson-playground-drawing/ 
• https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/girl-submits-a-drawing-to-upgrade-playground-for-little-kids-and-the-city-hall-built-it/ 
• https://www.upworthy.com/11-year-old-girl-designed-the-perfect-public-park-and-then-her-home-town-built-it 
• https://people.com/utah-girl-drew-a-playground-city-built-it-in-clearfield-8719778 
• https://www.standard.net/news/local/2024/sep/25/ribbon-cut-on-clearfield-playground-made-possible-by-a-childs-designs-advocacy/ 

 

 

Images: Clearfield City