Construction fencing has closed off the upper end of Civic Green Park since Sept. 8. The fenced area includes the playground, the overlook shelter beside it, the upper fountains and the wading stream. Everything else in the park at 9370 Ridgeline Blvd. is still open. The Highlands Ranch Metro District says it is replacing the 19-year-old play equipment and expects construction to last through late November.
From now until Dec. 12, the Town Center block will look different week to week. Its outdoor fixtures are going into winter mode, a new playground is being built, and a new storefront just opened on Dorchester Street. The weeks fall in a clear order, and knowing that order makes it easier to plan a Sunday or a Saturday with the kids.
The Calendar, Week by Week
Here are the dates that matter for the Civic Green, Dorchester Street and Ridgeline Boulevard block from this weekend through mid-December:
| Date | What changes on the block |
|---|---|
| Since Sept. 8 | Civic Green playground, adjacent shelter, upper fountains and wading stream closed |
| Since Oct. 9 | Joy Batch Cookies & Coffee open at 9315 Dorchester St., Unit 109 |
| Sunday, Oct. 25 | Highlands Ranch Farmers' Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. |
| Through Oct. 31 | Rod Schafer art display at the Highlands Ranch library branch |
| Sunday, Nov. 1 | Final farmers' market of 2026 |
| Late November | Projected end of playground construction |
| Nov. 30 | Hometown Holiday vendor applications close |
| Saturday, Dec. 12 | Hometown Holiday, noon to 5 p.m. |
The table shows a gap between the last farmers' market on Nov. 1 and the holiday event on Dec. 12. During those weeks the block has no scheduled community event, and the playground construction is projected to wrap up in that same stretch.
Two More Sundays on Dorchester
The Highlands Ranch Farmers' Market has run every Sunday since April 5 at 9288 Dorchester St. It goes from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with free parking in the Town Center garage. HRCA lists Nov. 1 as the last date of the 2026 season, which leaves this Sunday, Oct. 25, and the following Sunday.
The library is just around the corner. The Douglas County Libraries Highlands Ranch branch at 9292 S. Ridgeline Blvd. is showing an art display by Rod Schafer through Oct. 31, so a market Sunday is an easy time to see it before it closes. The branch's public elevator is closed for upgrades right now, which matters if you're bringing a stroller or anyone who avoids stairs. Check the branch page before you go.
The Newest Door at Town Center
The newest storefront on the block opened its doors on Oct. 9. Joy Batch Cookies & Coffee is at 9315 Dorchester St., Unit 109, in Highlands Ranch Town Center. Owner Sarah Carlson started Quinnie's Cookies in her home kitchen three and a half years ago. As Colorado Parent reported, the new shop serves the same cookies alongside coffee from her brother's roasting company, plus gifts. Carlson told Colorado Parent where the name came from: "I feel like cookies bring joy, baking brings joy." Westword also listed the shop in its Oct. 10 roundup of metro openings.
Joy Batch is open Tuesday through Sunday and closes at 3 p.m. The published opening times disagree. Colorado Parent lists 10 a.m. DougCo Social says coffee starts at 9 a.m. and the full cookie case is ready at 10. Either way, Joy Batch fits the morning. If you're heading to the farmers' market, it's open the same Sundays, and it's only a block from 9288 Dorchester.
What Comes Back at Civic Green, and What Stays the Same
According to the Metro District's announcement, community feedback shaped the design of the new playground. Here's what changes:
- A bigger footprint than the old playground.
- Continuous rubber surfacing in place of wood chips.
- A tall main structure with slides, tunnels and climbing elements for ages 5 to 12.
- Separate play and slide structures for ages 2 to 5 and for toddlers 6 to 23 months.
- Four swings under a shade awning.
- A spinning rope tower.
- A merry-go-round with at-grade entry, meant to make play more inclusive.
The district shut off the fountains and wading stream next to the playground early this season to make room for construction, but they aren't part of the renovation and will stay as they are. The book sculptures stay in place too. When the fencing comes down, kids will find new equipment at the playground and the same water features and sculptures beside it.
The district has not set a reopening date. As of the Playground Replacement project page, construction is still expected to run through late November. That's a projection. The district says it will post the reopening date on that page. If the schedule holds, the new playground will open a couple of weeks before Hometown Holiday fills the same block.
Civic Green's project is one piece of a longer cycle. The Metro District aims to replace one or two aging playgrounds a year, depending on budget approval and available funds, and it chooses which ones based on the equipment's condition.
Where to Play in the Meantime
Until Civic Green reopens, the Metro District suggests three other playgrounds:
Civic Green's open lawn and paths are still a good stop for families coming from the library or the market. The fenced area only covers the playground end of the park.
The Rest of the Fall, Away From Dorchester
Next weekend's biggest events are elsewhere in Highlands Ranch. HRCA has Haunted Hayrides and Haunted Forest on Friday, Oct. 23, then Haunted Forest Fright Lite and Haunted Forest Fall Fest on Saturday, Oct. 24. Details are on the HRCA events calendar. On Halloween night, Highlands Ranch Mansion at 9950 E. Gateway Drive hosts Last Stop, a free outdoor event from 6:30 to 9 p.m. The Mansion interior will be closed that night.
Dec. 12 Puts It All Together
Hometown Holiday brings everything back to Town Center on Saturday, Dec. 12, from noon to 5 p.m., at 9315 Dorchester St. That's the same address as Joy Batch. HRCA's program includes Santa photos, a holiday gift market, live music, local food trucks, seasonal drinks, cocoa for kids, holiday games and a lighting ceremony. The event is free, open to everyone and held outdoors. HRCA will cancel it only for severe weather. There's free parking nearby, and you can also get there on Link on Demand.
Local makers and small businesses have a deadline before then. Vendor applications for the gift market opened Aug. 24 and close Nov. 30. Fees are $100 for handcrafters, $150 for food vendors and $300 for businesses and community organizations. Nov. 30 lands in the same week the playground is projected to finish, so that week is busy for the block whether you're applying to sell or just watching for the fence to come down.
If the playground reopens on schedule, Dec. 12 will be the first time a big crowd comes to Town Center with the new equipment open, and Joy Batch will be part of that afternoon too.
At REBL Home Team, we follow changes like the Civic Green rebuild and the new shops on Dorchester because they shape daily life on a block. If you live near Town Center and are wondering what your home is worth this season, see your home's value now.
