Board agrees to pursue funding options for accessible Bakken Park playground; parking, bidding and timeline remain under review

Cottage Grove, Wis. — The Village of Cottage Grove board discussed May 19 a proposal from the Miracle League of Dane County to replace the existing playground at Bakken Park with a fully accessible, cooperative-play playground and directed staff to work toward a funding agreement while the parks committee studies parking and procurement implications.

Miracle League representatives presented plans for an inclusive playground designed to support “parallel play” and interaction among children with differing abilities; board members and residents described rising participation and said accessible equipment would serve hundreds of local families. “The needs of the Miracle League is parallel play,” Parks Committee Chair said during the discussion.

Trustees reviewed five funding options prepared by staff that would use a combination of a potential direct Amazon donation earmarked for youth initiatives, the village's Park Development Fund and other sources. Staff and legal counsel warned that equipment purchases above $25,000 would generally trigger public bidding rules unless funds are paid directly to the nonprofit by an outside donor.

Finance Director Cameron provided detail on the Park Development Fund and noted it holds approximately $7.48 million in cash across restricted and unrestricted buckets; after current commitments and the village's potential $125,000 to $150,000 pledge, unrestricted reserves would be reduced. Officials asked for written confirmation that a down payment would be refundable if fundraising fell short. Cameron and legal counsel said they would draft and return with an agreement structure for board approval.

Parking at Bakken Park emerged as a central implementation issue. Several trustees and staff asked the Miracle League to confirm whether limited parking has prevented participation; trustees asked Parks staff to analyze how many additional accessible spaces would be needed on busy days, what it would cost to add them, and whether available open space could be repurposed for parking. Director Harris noted areas near the third base line may be suitable for expansion.

Trustees asked staff to coordinate three parallel steps: (1) work with Miracle League to negotiate an agreement that protects the village from financial risk and clarifies refund/cancellation terms; (2) task the Parks and Recreation Committee with analyzing parking needs and options (including re-striping and adding spaces) and present cost estimates; and (3) pursue confirmation from Amazon on whether a donation can be paid directly to the Miracle League rather than routed through village accounts to simplify procurement and avoid additional public-bidding requirements.

Several trustees expressed support for the playground in principle but requested more complete information on ancillary costs (parking and pavement replacement), procurement, and a firm fundraising timeline. One trustee summarized the practical path forward: allow Miracle League to proceed with capital fundraising, return to the board with a drafted agreement and budget amendment, and conduct parking analysis in parallel. The board did not adopt a final funding appropriation at the meeting.

Next steps recorded: staff will seek written clarification from Amazon about direct donation options, draft an agreement with Miracle League addressing refunds and bidding, present cost estimates for possible parking additions at Bakken Park, and return a funding recommendation to the board for formal approval.