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City parks staff outlines Brookside Park playground plan; construction expected in September
Summary
Parks staff updated the mayor and commissioners on a roughly $92,000 playground project at Brookside Park, describing a three-month construction timeline, ADA-accessible equipment, a regulation 40-by-80 basketball court and plans for sidewalks and parking.
Parks staff updated the mayor and commissioners on plans for a new playground at Brookside Park and said construction is about three months away, with work expected to begin in early to mid-September and an estimated cost of about $92,000.
The update came after a February town hall the staff member said drew strong turnout from Brookside residents and informed the playground design. "They showed up, and they gave a lot of good information. So we compiled as much of that information as we could," the staff member said.
The project includes a playground positioned near the west entrance off Lookout Drive, a 40-by-80-foot regulation basketball court whose backboards and rims were scheduled for installation the next day or the following Thursday "depending on the weather," and a northeast corner area for baseball/softball warm-ups. Engineering added about three parking stalls at the Lookout Drive entrance, and staff said ADA-accessible sidewalks will be added to connect the parking to the new playground.
On accessibility, staff said equipment procured for the playground meets ADA accessibility standards but acknowledged the site will not be fully "all inclusive" for every disability. "The playgrounds have to be ADA accessible now. It doesn't mean they're perfect for folks, but it doesn't mean that they meet the standards," the staff member said, noting Ambulance Park is the city's only playground described as fully handicap-inclusive. The staff member added that sunshades have been discussed as a possible item for next year's budget if funding can be found.
Staff characterized the available funding for this year as limited but said the project represents good value for a neighborhood park. "I think we're getting a really good bang for our buck with this playground," the staff member said.
No motions or formal votes were reported during the update; the remarks were presented as an informational briefing to the mayor and commissioners. Construction timing, final design details such as shade structures, and funding for additional features were described as subject to future budgeting and weather-dependent scheduling.
