A new lion-themed children’s park is being built in Yeruham’s Horizon neighborhood, in a project expected to cost about 6 million shekels. The park is being planned and built by Elo & Nitzan, a company that designs and installs playground and fitness equipment, in cooperation with the Yeruham municipality.
At the center of the park will be a large integrated play structure shaped like a lion. The structure will cover about 250 sq.mt (about 2,690 sq. ft) and rise about 26 feet, with climbing, movement and play elements designed for children of different ages.
The lion structure is being built with a modern geometric design and bold colors meant to blend with Yeruham’s desert landscape. Around it, the park will include a large public area with seating and additional play equipment designed to encourage curiosity, communication and early development.
The park is also expected to include climbing ladders and walls, slides, a zip line, a bowl-shaped carousel, designed swing arches, bird’s nest swings and accessible play structures.
The central lion structure
The main lion structure is designed to allow several types of play at different motor-skill levels. Children will be able to climb through internal net systems, ladders and climbing walls to reach the lion’s head, which will serve as a lookout point.
From the upper section, children will be able to slide down through enclosed, winding tube slides. According to the company, the structure was designed so parents can keep visual contact with their children while they play.
The park will also include a stepped balance course around the lion structure, with columns of different heights and angles. The course is intended to help children practice balance, posture, coordination and movement as they step from one column to another.
Additional play areas
The wider playground will include a zip line with a hand grip, climbing elements near the launch platform and a bowl-shaped carousel that allows children to spin while sitting or lying down. The carousel is designed for different ages and for children with disabilities.
Another accessible element, a seesaw-style structure, is intended for two users sitting or lying down and requires cooperation between children as they move together.
The swing area will include several types of seats arranged side by side, allowing children of different ages and abilities to use the space together. The planned equipment includes an accessible chair-style swing, supportive safety seats, a double tube swing that can be used while standing or sitting, and bird’s nest swings with netted seats.
A separate accessible structure for toddlers and older children will include a sloped climbing wall, crawl tunnel, two slides of different heights, a sloped bridge, play panels and imaginative play elements, including a ship’s wheel, stand panel, peek-through window and abacus. The structure is designed to support crawling, climbing, balancing and early social play.
Yeruham Mayor, attorney Nili Aharon, said the project is part of the town’s broader investment in public spaces. “Yeruham’s development is measured first by our investment in residents’ quality of life and in accessible, welcoming public spaces,” Aharon said. “The lion park is another step in that vision. We chose this structure to spark children’s imagination and bring to Yeruham play and sports facilities at the highest international standard. I am proud to give Yeruham families a joyful, welcoming community meeting point, and invite everyone to come and enjoy it,” she said.
Helen Roet Nitzan, founder and CEO of Elo & Nitzan, said the company was proud to plan and build the park in the southern town. “The park, with all its innovative play facilities and especially the spectacular lion-shaped structure we designed, will give children of different ages an exceptional experience of play, movement and climbing,” she said.
Elo & Nitzan develops play environments that encourage physical activity, imagination and real-world play for children of different ages and abilities. It works in the design, manufacture, import and installation of playground equipment, fitness facilities, street furniture and lifeguard stations. It carries out about 150 projects a year for municipalities, schools, parks and other clients in Israel and abroad.