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Park board backs grant application to add ADA-accessible turf at Duke Park
Summary
The Board of Park Commissioners voted to authorize the board president to sign a letter supporting a community benefit fund grant application to pay for accessibility turf at Duke Park; the playground equipment itself is already ordered.
The Board of Park Commissioners voted April 8 to authorize the park board president to sign a support letter for a community benefit fund grant application to purchase and install ADA-accessible turf at Duke Park.
The grant application, described at the meeting as the “UMBC community benefit fund” application, would help pay for an accessibility-grade turf surfacing to accompany new, fully ADA-compliant playground equipment already on order for Duke Park. Parks staff said the playground equipment and add-ons were about $240,000; staff described the accessibility turf as an additional roughly $190,000 upgrade. The board approved a motion authorizing the president to sign the packet of support materials for the foundation’s review.
The board packet noted that the city’s 2025 budget already includes replacement of most of Duke Park’s play equipment and that concrete access work will accompany the new equipment to improve routes from the shelter and parking. Parks staff said the turf would be a higher-cost option than poured-in-place or wood-chip surfacing but would provide greater accessibility. Staff also told the board that a donor acknowledgment — similar to one used on a recent stadium project — would likely be included on a corner of the new surfacing if the grant is awarded.
At the meeting, staff said they had met with Kevin Harlan, identified in the packet as a foundation president, and that he encouraged an expedited application review. The board’s vote, taken after a short discussion, authorized the park board president to sign the support letter so staff can finalize and submit the application.
Funding requests of this type typically require letters of support from regional stakeholders. In addition to the park board letter, staff said they had obtained a recreation board letter and a letter from a local stakeholder noted in the packet. Staff emphasized that the turf installation could proceed after the playground equipment is installed and would not delay delivery of the ordered equipment.
Board action: the motion to authorize the park board president to sign the proposed support letter was seconded and approved by voice vote.
