MIDDLEBORO — Families, youth and project organizers looked on as three-year old Eddie Davison, armed with a pair of oversized scissors, cut the ribbon in front of Reed’s Corner Playground in Middleboro.

Town officials officially unveiled the playground at the old Peirce Playground Park in a ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, June 18.

The grand opening follows a $500,000 project to replace and improve the playground, which was approved by the Select Board earlier this year. 

The new playground, which includes brand new monkey bars and a large rope climbing structure, replaces equipment that had been in place since 1993.

Middleboro resident Doria Wainwright brought her 2-year-old granddaughter Harper Wainwright to the park’s opening. 

She said she used to bring her grandson to the old playground.

“I think it’s awesome.” Wainwright said. “It’s definitely a nice upgrade from what it was.”

Wainwright said that she also appreciated the inclusivity of the park. 

“We tried to make this project a completely accessible playground,” Middleboro Town Manager Jay McGrail said. “Every part of the structure behind me can be accessed with a wheelchair.”

The playground was fully funded by grants, including funds from the Peirce Trustees, the Commonwealth and the American Rescue Plan Act, according to McGrail.

McGrail thanked the Select Board for approving the project’s funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, he said.

“They let me run with the ball a little bit on this project,” McGrail said.

And according to McGrail, it was completed “on time and under budget.”

Two-and-a-half year old Everleigh Hamm said that she loves the playground. 

“This is a new playground,” she said.

Six-year old Christian Cahill said that the park was “good” and when asked what his favorite part of it was, he pointed to the new playground spinner.