Colchester board approves Ben Shafer design for Porter's Point playground

The Colchester School District Board of Education voted to accept a bid from Ben Shafer Playground Design to replace the Porter's Point School (PPS) K–2 playground.

Administrators told the board that three vendors submitted quotes (one vendor submitted two different layouts, for a total of four bids) and recommended Ben Shafer as the best fit even though its quote was the second-lowest. The board then moved and approved a motion to accept the Ben Shafer bid and authorize the business and operations manager to sign a contract.

Carolyn, a Porter's Point staff member who led the design review at the school, described the chosen design as more accessible and developmentally appropriate than the existing structure. “It has been a pleasure to work on a project like this because I feel like, you know, the playground at Porter's Point has been, has been one of those areas that has needed some updating,” Carolyn said. She said students had written essays about the lack of accessibility and that the selected design adds wheelchair-accessible spinners, cooperative play areas and musical instruments.

Administrators told the board the surfacing plan would use a combination of wood chips and an epoxy-treated wood-chip path so students using mobility devices can navigate to and around the equipment. Carolyn said the design reduces challenging overhead swinging features, adds more slides and increases the number of swings. She estimated current peak use at “somewhere between 90 and a hundred” children at one time because of class sizes and the district’s practice of taking one grade level outside at a time.

District staff noted a few procurement questions remain: the demolition cost for the existing playground is not included in the vendor quotes and one vendor’s product originates in Canada, which could raise tariff or delivery timing issues. The board was told quotes state prices are honored for 30 days and that the district is pursuing contracting now because of lead times. A line in the quote stating “assembly installation is not provided” will be clarified with the vendor.

The motion to accept the Ben Shafer bid passed on a voice vote. No roll-call tally was recorded in the public transcript.

Board members said the new playground is expected to be installed so the replacement is in place before the next school year; the existing K–2 playground will be removed in August as part of site work for the new building project.