The over 50-year-old rocket slide at Union Park is now closed as it undergoes a round of repairs, but the desmoinesparks department wrote to worried children and parents on Facebook that "it WILL be back." Built during the space craze of the 1960s, the Des Moines Astro City opened in Union Park on July 23, 1971, to scores of expectant young people eager to journey through its elaborate designs. The 107 foot-long, 32-foot-high structure weighed nearly seven tons and cost the city $6,200, which today would be around $42,500. In the 52 years since, many a Des Moines youngster has journeyed to the tippy-top of the rocket ship and ridden down the park's iconic bouncy slide. The playground has been a favorite of neighborhood children now for more than five decades, and as a result it has survived many a renovation and even an attempt to tear it down. Tap the link in our bio for more on this story. #DesMoines #Iowa #unionpark #DSMUSA #IowaHistory