Councilor Betty Robinson said residents and a nearby group serving people with disabilities requested accessible equipment at Community Park, sparking discussion of an ADA-compliant swing and broader playground upgrades.

The request “came to my attention” after residents and a family in the neighborhood raised concerns, Robinson said, adding that staff and she had exchanged information about equipment and costs.

Parks Director Eric Martin presented vendor pricing and site estimates. Martin said a two-seat accessible swing from a vendor identified in the meeting as Willie Goat would cost about $5,600 with shipping and that engineered wood-fiber surfacing for accessibility — described as seven to eight loads totaling 720 cubic yards — had a list price of $17,840.

Martin said the department could install the swing itself and that the unit’s footprint is small enough to fit in multiple locations. He also said a larger retrofit or new playground could cost more: the department had budgeted about $45,000 for a playground at 40th and Richard and could likely secure lower pricing in the fall when manufacturers discount inventory.

Councilors and staff discussed retrofitting existing swing bays to accept accessible swings rather than installing entirely new bays. “We might be able to retrofit the actual swings into a regular bay instead of … put in new equipment,” Martin said, and he agreed to “take a look” at retrofit feasibility and at options beyond swings so sites offer variety for children of differing abilities.

Councilor Lisa Chavis (chairing procedural clarifications) and another attendee noted the council’s discretionary funds must be used for capital improvements; Chavis said council-held funds intended for parks “must be used for capital improvement projects,” and the attorney present said some items are a gray area that would require review to ensure they meet the council’s capital definition.

Councilors suggested waiting until the fall to purchase equipment to take advantage of manufacturers’ seasonal pricing and requested staff return with options for retrofits, cost comparisons, and locations where accessible equipment could be placed. No formal motion or vote was taken.

The parks board and staff also discussed placing accessible equipment at other neighborhood sites, including Explorer Park, Veterans Park and Lee Road Park, and the need to balance new purchases with long‑term maintenance costs given constrained operating budgets.

Staff said they would review retrofit options, pricing, and procurement timing and report back to the committee at a follow‑up meeting.