Norwalk officials celebrated the grand opening of a new playground at Flax Hill Park on Wednesday, replacing a structure that was over 20 years old.

The revitalized play area features a climbing panel, spinners for children to stand on and spin, and state-of-the-art wood fiber surfacing. Construction was completed in two months.

The project is part of the city's initiative to ensure its parks are safe, healthy, and green, according to officials.

"One of the reasons why we've been really looking at playgrounds is because the safety of our kids is very important," said Robert Stowers, director of Norwalk Recreation. "These playgrounds need to be inspected and changed as rapidly as possible. They all have a life cycle and we need to be concerned with that."

The $4.5 million project was funded by a state grant. Officials say more playground upgrades are expected in the future.