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Parks Board urges prioritizing ADA playground equipment; board votes to record interest
Summary
Board members discussed ADA-accessible playground equipment and unanimously voted to express interest in prioritizing an ADA playground project during fiscal-year capital planning, while staff said an accessible structure with surfacing would cost at least $50,000 and is currently behind higher-cost capital projects.
Board members discussed ADA-accessible playground equipment and whether the parks department could accelerate an accessible play surfacing and structure. Jennifer Ward said an accessible play structure with compliant surfacing would cost at least $50,000, and that while SDCs (System Development Charges) can be used for such work, SDC funds are already committed to other capital projects. Ward said John Barnard Park will include accessible play equipment and surface and is expected to open this summer.
A board member moved that the Parks Board "express the interest of the parks board to see this project be prioritized when capital planning for fiscal year 2026 is complete" and the motion was seconded. The motion was clarified as an expression of the board’s interest rather than a directive for staff to reallocate funds immediately. The board voted in favor by voice; the transcript records a unanimous "aye." The motion places the board’s preference on the record so staff and city leadership can consider it during the fiscal-year capital prioritization process.
Board members discussed whether leftover funds from under-budget projects (for example, John Barnard Park) could be reallocated later and were told that reallocation would follow the city’s capital planning process and timing: funds become available only when a project is complete and there are no outstanding obligations. Several members suggested fundraising or partnerships (arts trust fund, library partnerships, farmer’s market outreach) as potential supplemental funding sources.
Ward said the department uses a rolling five-year capital plan; projects may be reprioritized but are generally set once the CIP for the upcoming fiscal year is adopted. She also said staff can evaluate whether a $50,000–$70,000 accessible play pad could be shifted forward if other projects can be moved.
