Both kids and parents can better enjoy Helena’s Amphitheater Park after the park added new playground equipment March 6.

The Helena Business and Professional Association donated the equipment, said HBPA member Cris Nelson.

The playground added a tree house, which is connected to the tree house that HBPA donated last year by a short bridge. The new tree house also has a rock wall, a wave slide, tic-tac-toe board and a chain ladder.

“Every year, we’ve added something to the playground. This year, our design concept was to continue to build on the main structure, so we were able to add another tree house,” Nelson said.

The tree house and additional equipment cost $3,500. The HBPA donated all the playground equipment currently at Amphitheater Park. Since 2004, the association has donated more than $11,000 of equipment for the park.

Nelson said Helena children made clear their excitement over the new equipment.

“They were playing on it while they were trying to get it installed,” she said. “The kids were telling me they really enjoyed it.”

The playground provides parents with a place their children can play as they walk by the creek or enjoy Movies in the Park, Nelson said.

“It’s been really nice. The children can be down there playing, and the parents don’t have to worry because they’re within eyesight,” she said.

Amphitheater Park is quickly becoming one of Helena’s popular spots, with Movies in the Park and the Buck Creek Festival making it a go-to spot. With people at the park so often, it’s important that kids have a safe place to have fun, Nelson said.

“We hope each year to be able to add something new to the playground. We’ve got different pieces for different age groups. We’re trying to be patient and slowly put things together,” she said.