Fenton delays Budweil Park playground contractor choice after three vendor presentations

Fenton aldermen on May 8 declined to pick a contractor for a planned Budweil Park playground after hearing presentations from three finalists — Playground Consultants (representing Burke playground products), Vernon Jones and AB Creative — saying they needed more time to weigh design, parking and site-access issues.

The board has budgeted about $500,000 for the project; the three firms presented designs and price points that city staff said fall under or near that figure. Dana of The Playground Consultants described a single Burke-based design and said, “My playground design is about a 105 by 50, And, I am the low bidder at 433,000.” Vernon Jones presented five options with a range of roughly $440,000–$490,000, while AB Creative offered three distinct concepts and said it could mix and match manufacturers to meet the city’s needs.

The decision matters because the project combines playground equipment with site work: grading, a retaining wall, a drainage plan and ADA-accessible sidewalks from the existing parking lot. City public-works staff flagged constraints at the Budweil site including a steep slope that will likely require a retaining wall and limited parking (roughly 17 marked spaces). Aldermen and staff emphasized the need for a design that fits the existing site, provides required ADA access and limits off-site impacts.

Most important facts - Budget and bids: The city set a planning budget near $500,000. Playground Consultants quoted $433,000 for its Burke design; Vernon Jones’ five options ran about $440,000–$490,000. Vendors said the safety surfacing option (pour-in-place) and…