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Oak Harbor issues RFP draft for 15,000‑square‑foot inclusive playground at Windjammer Park
Summary
City staff circulated a draft RFP seeking consultants to design, permit and produce construction documents for a roughly 15,000 sq. ft. inclusive playground at Windjammer Park, with the RFP set to go to City Council for review before posting.
At the May 12, 2025 Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission meeting, staff reviewed a draft request for proposals (RFP) for design services to develop an inclusive playground at Windjammer Park.
Brian, Parks staff, said the RFP requests professional services for the design, permitting and construction documents for an "approximately a 15,000 square foot, inclusive play environment," including community engagement and an option to extend the contract into bidding and construction management. "We're looking for professional services for the design, permitting, construction documents, for the implementation of approximately a 15,000 square foot, inclusive play environment," he said.
The scope asks consultants to evaluate site conditions and permit requirements, conduct a needs analysis that includes outreach to organizations serving children with special needs, hold community meetings, propose equipment and layout (staff intentionally omitted a fixed equipment list to allow creative proposals), and produce cost estimates and final construction documents. The RFP also asks consultants to recommend safety surfacing systems, drainage, lighting and fencing, and to confirm the appropriate footprint — the 15,000 sq. ft. figure is a staff estimate subject to consultant review.
Staff discussed site options. Windjammer Park is the preferred site and was identified in a 2016 Windjammer plan, but the RFP requires the consultant to evaluate alternate sites including Veil Park and Fort Nugent. Commissioners raised parking concerns; staff noted that previous discussions considered modifying shoreline parking but decided to preserve parking for harbor viewing, and instead to add accessible spaces closer to the selected playground pathway.
Funding for design was presented as a combination of a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant application and a match from Windjammer improvement funds. Brian noted grants often favor shovel‑ready projects with permits and construction documents in hand, and that the city had been placed on alternate project lists for similar grants; staff advised continuing to refine documents to remain competitive.
The commission asked for two weeks to review the draft RFP; staff plans to take a revised RFP to a council workshop for comment and then return to the commission for formal approval before posting. No formal vote occurred at the meeting.
The commission also discussed parking strategy and broader waterfront planning and agreed to return the item to future agenda(s) after council input.
