The rainy summer hasn’t deterred children from enjoying the new playground at Rotary Park.

“I’ve walked down there quite often and there is a tremendous use,” said city Councilman Bill May, who oversees the city parks department. “The kids seem to love it.”

The playground equipment was installed last month as a replacement to the former Island Playground. May said it was a key addition to the section of the city.

“Playgrounds are an important part to entice people to live in a town,” May said. “It definitely increases the livability of a neighborhood.”

May said residents of the neighborhood have taken pride in the park, which has seen other improvements in recent years including a newly paved trail, lighting and benches courtesy of the redevelopment authority.

“The neighborhood is really taking ownership of the park,” May said. “The residents are serving as caretakers for it. That’s a great thing. It’s what we strive for.”

May said even the children are watching over the new playground.

“I was down there digging in the wood chips to make sure they were deep enough, and a little girl started yelling at me,” May joked. “I was happy about that because it showed she took pride in the playground.”

The playground has had a steady draw of attendance thanks in part to the Grace Youth and Family Foundation’s summer program, which provides free food and activities for children.

Rotary Park on Monday replaced Broad Street playground as one of the four sites for the program each weekday.

Will Halle, a foundation staff member overseeing the program at Rotary Park, said 15 to 20 children show up at the park each day.

“We get kids who played at Broad Street, and we get kids from the Island (neighborhood) as well,” he said.

The foundation also holds programs at noon at the Old Plank Estates and Father Marinaro Park, while it is at Institute Hill Playground at 4:30 p.m.

The summer program runs until mid-August.

“We serve a healthy meal and have activities until 3 p.m.,” Halle said. “It gives the kids good nutrients to eat and some companionship. It puts some positivity in their lives.”

Halle said he thinks the park is a great place for the program.

“From what I’ve seen they really enjoy it,” he said. “It’s new, and it’s a safe place to play.”

Caeden Stephenson, 8, of Butler said he goes to the playground a couple times each week.

“I like to hang out before going to my friend’s house,” he said.

Dakota Parkinson, 9, of Butler said she and her brother visit the park almost every day.

She said she likes the free meal offered by the foundation.

“I like the pasta,” she said.

Dakota said she has fun at the park, especially on hot summer days.

“It has good shade,” she said.

The monkey bars are her favorite attraction, which also has two swings, slides and other areas for children to play. A half-court basketball surface is in the final stages of being completed — the hoop is installed but the lines of the court still need painted.

Halle said the foundation adopted the summer program from the Paul Laurence Dunbar Community Center, which had summer programs the past two years. The center moved from its site at the corner of Fairground Hill Road and Hansen Avenue to the foundation’s Net Outreach building on Center Avenue.

“Our goal is to get the Dunbar Center back up and running,” Halle said.

The Rotary Park replaced the former Island Playground, which was torn down last year by the Dunbar Center. The Butler Eagle now owns the land but hasn’t decided on a specific use for it.

However, General Manager Ron Vodenichar stated there has never been any truth to the rumors the Eagle was planning a parking lot there.