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Commission directs staff to pursue Towne Park playground replacement, seeks community input
Summary
Town recreation staff told the Parks and Recreation Commission on March 24 that a recent safety inspection and the age of the equipment at Towne Park support replacing the primary play structure for children 5–12, and staff said about $50,000 is currently set aside to cover a basic replacement.
Town recreation staff told the Parks and Recreation Commission on March 24 that a recent safety inspection and the age of the playground equipment at Towne Park support replacing the primary play structure for school-age children rather than continuing piecemeal repairs.
Staff said the current 5–12 structure dates from the early 2000s, was installed in phases and has reached the end of its useful life. After consulting manufacturers and public procurement, staff recommended replacing the entire structure and said an initial $50,000 set-aside in the budget would cover the basic cost of removing the old structure and installing a new primary play structure. "For the playground alone, yes," staff said when asked whether $50,000 would cover replacement of the structure itself.
Commissioners discussed outreach and design. Staff described typical procurement steps: gathering feature-based input from the community (for example, slides, climbing elements, inclusive or nature-themed features), asking manufacturers to produce several renderings that match the town’s square footage, and then returning to the commission with options and cost estimates. Staff said playground manufacturers can supply full structures or sell pieces; staff recommended narrowing options by surveying residents and holding community workshops and suggested soliciting direct feedback from children as part of outreach.
The commission directed staff to form an ad hoc subcommittee to work with staff, designers and manufacturers on design options, public outreach and cost estimates. Recreation Supervisor Sydney Bliss will be a staff point of contact for the project; staff also said they will consult manufacturers and public procurement on the procurement timeline and options for surfaces (for example, resilient surfacing versus wood chips). Commissioners emphasized incorporating all-ability/inclusive elements into the design and advised the subcommittee to avoid piecemeal fixes for a structure that is at the end of its useful life.
Staff said more costly scope additions (for example, replacing surfacing across a larger area or adding separate toddler-and-school-age structures) could require additional council review and supplemental funding. The subcommittee will return to the commission with recommended designs, cost estimates and a recommended procurement path.
