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New Ulm council approves two playground replacements, keeps wood-fiber surfacing
Summary
The City Council approved state-contract purchases to replace playground equipment at Lincoln Park and Washington Park, committing sinking-fund money and choosing wood-fiber surfacing to control costs.
The New Ulm City Council voted June 17 to replace playground equipment at Lincoln Park and Washington Park and to fund the projects from the city's playground sinking fund.
Parks staff presented the proposals and recommended buying equipment from Flagship Recreation under state contract(s). “Lincoln Park Playground does see a lot of use from ages 2 to 5,” said Mister Schugel, the staff presenter. The council approved a contract to relocate and replace Lincoln Park’s 2-to-5 play area for $28,218.86 and a separate contract to replace Washington Park’s 5-to-12 playground for $178,815.17.
The projects are intended to remove outdated pieces, shrink the containment areas to reduce recurring maintenance and material costs, and add play features for multiple ages and ability levels. Staff said doing both replacements together reduces installation and shipping costs. Schugel noted the city started a playground sinking fund in 2024; the sinking fund balance cited during the meeting was $325,000 allocated with the 2025 contribution.
Councilors asked about surfacing options. Schugel said staff evaluated poured-in-place rubber and turf surfacing but that the per-square-foot cost nearly doubled the project price; for now the council approved keeping wood-fiber surfacing to control immediate costs, while leaving open the option of changing surfacing later. He said that if the city later chose poured-in-place, it would require removing the existing material; switching from wood fiber to a different surfacing after installation would be possible but more complex.
Councilors also asked about expected lifespans. Schugel said the Washington Park play structure being replaced had been installed in 1999 and that about 20–26 years of service is a reasonable expectation with yearly preventative maintenance and part replacements.
Both motions passed with a motion and second and voice votes by the council.
The council packet noted that Flagship Recreation provided multiple design concepts for Washington Park; school children reviewed three concepts and selected the preferred design.
Work on the two playgrounds is expected to proceed under the authorized contracts and to use sinking-fund resources; no additional funding requests were made at the June 17 meeting.
