On September 2, 2026, the City and County of Broomfield dedicated the Joseph R. Mazzola Sensory Playground and Joseph R. Mazzola Garden at Midway Park, near the Girl Scout Shelter. Speakers at the event included Mayor Muileen Castriotta, Director of Parks, Recreation and Senior Services Clay Shuck, and members of the Mazzola Family. The new equipment at the sensory playground is designed for children ages 1 -12 of all abilities. No matter what a child’s level of physical skill, the playground contains equipment designed to enable that child to be included and play along with other children. A garden for personal contemplation flanks the new equipment. The equipment and park are named for Joseph R. Mazzola (1927 – 2014).
Mazzola arrived in Broomfield in 1957 and poured his heart and soul into serving this community for more than 50 years afterward. He served on the first elected City Counsel beginning in 1961, helping to lay the foundation for what has become one of the nation’s most livable communities. He did this while raising 5 children with his beloved wife Marion. In the early 1960s, Mazzola joined the then fledgling Broomfield Rotary Club. His contributions to the Club and to the community through the club would be immeasurable.
Per a memorial authored by fellow Rotarian Larry Haas (Joe Mazzola - a Great Man, and an Outstanding Rotarian | Rotary Club of Broomfield), Mazzola was club president in 1973/1974, was awarded the District's Active Senior Rotarian of the year in 2008, and received a Heart of Broomfield Award in 2011 for his philanthropic work within the community. Haas continues:
Although Joe was 86 years old when he passed away, he demonstrated the energy and vitality of a much younger man. He was the "spark plug" to so many great things within the Broomfield Rotary Club. Joe was instrumental to the establishment of the Broomfield Rotary Charitable Foundation, and served as Chairman of its Grant Review Committee, evaluating and recommending worthwhile charitable causes. Joe was actively involved in District Water and Sanitation Projects for many years. He initiated a project to provide bicycles to needy children as part of our Annual Santa Cops Christmas Gift Program. Joe solicited used bicycles within the community and with other Rotarians fixed-up, cleaned-up and painted up hundreds of bicycles, to be given away at Christmas over the last three years. … He took an impassioned interest in such programs as Healthy Learning Paths, a program for guiding elementary students and their families to healthy living habits, the Frank Shorter RACE4Kids' Health, Rotary's RYLA Program, The Rotary Golf Tournament for Police and Fire, the F.R.I.E.N.D.S Program for supporting those with developmental disabilities, support of Mental Health Partners, and numerous other charitable projects, for which Joe was instrumental in their initiation and success.
Mazzola’s passion for the health and well-being of children made this a fitting dedication of new equipment that will help Broomfield-area children play and grow for generations to come.