New data shows strong growth in visitor traffic at the Silver Beach County Park playground, with attendance increasing significantly during the 2025 summer season.
Berrien County Commissioner Julie Wuerfel reports that the playground recorded approximately 141,000 visitors last summer, marking a 33 percent increase compared to 2024. According to Wuerfel, about 67 percent of those visitors came from out of state. The visitor figures were compiled using anonymized cell phone location data.
Wuerfel said the average length of stay at the Silver Beach playground was 73 minutes, well above the typical 45 to 50 minutes seen at many playgrounds, indicating strong engagement with the facility.
Wuerfel also noted that the Silver Beach County Park playground has already received a Parks Facility Award, with a formal presentation expected in the future.
In addition, Wuerfel said the Berrien County Parks Commission is planning changes to how parking is handled at Silver Beach and other county parks. The commission aims to have new parking systems in place by the end of 2026 for implementation in 2027.
The updates were shared by Wuerfel during at the Berrien County Commission meeting on January 22.
Image credit: Berrien County Parks Department.
