FDR Park will be home to North America’s largest swing set, coined the ‘Megaswing’

North America’s largest swing set will soon find its home in South Philly’s FDR Park, as part of the park’s renovation plans.

The set will have 20 swings, and will be able to accommodate 30 people. Construction of the Anna C. Verna playground is underway and the playground, along with the “megaswing,” is scheduled to open to the public on Aug. 26 with a formal ribbon cutting.

The playground’s swing set will be the largest in North America, according to a spokesperson for the Fairmount Park Conservancy, although the precise measurements are not known yet.

A spokesperson for the Fairmount Park Conservancy would not share the cost of the playground project, including the cost of the swing set. The overall FDR park renovation project is set to cost about $250 million, according to the plan proposals.

The FDR park renovations and their cost have raised some controversy, especially in a city with so many budget priorities. As of May, about $100 million of the $250 million had been raised through donations and grants. The renovation plans — which aim to make the park climate resilient and add amenities — have also sparked debate about how the parkland should be used, especially after the pandemic changed residents’ relationships with the space.

Critics have opposed a wetland portion of the project and a proposal to create multipurpose, baseball, and softball fields.

Construction for the 2.15-acre playground started in the summer of 2021, and along with the “megaswing,” it will include three climbing structures, a giant slide, and a picnic pavilion.

Renderings of the new swing set showcase it as a circular silver structure with the swings surrounding the play area in the middle.