Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks Playgrounds topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council approves Brown Park playground purchase and ForeverLawn surfacing after state grant, private donation
Summary
Following a $667,050 Oregon Parks and Recreation Department grant and a private $150,000 donation, the council authorized purchase of play equipment and surfacing from Ross Recreation Equipment as part of Brown Park expansion. Design includes ADA-accessible features and new sidewalks and parking.
The City Council authorized staff Feb. 24 to purchase playground equipment and safety surfacing for the Brown Park expansion using a combination of state grant funds, a private donation and city funds.
What passed: staff presented the project after receiving a Local Government Grant from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department in the amount of $667,050 and a private donor contribution of $150,000. Council authorized the purchase of play equipment from Ross Recreation Equipment under a cooperative purchasing agreement for the not-to-exceed amount that matches the grant award and quoted equipment/surfacing costs.
Project elements and funding: the full project estimate presented by staff included property purchase ($150,000), play equipment ($401,623), ForeverLawn surfacing and padding ($230,768), site work and concrete ($172,567), a new sidewalk along Francis Street ($55,000), an ADA parking lot ($75,000) and miscellaneous amenities. Funding sources identified were the state grant ($667,050), the private donation ($150,000), city forces/labor ($147,000), next-year sidewalk funds ($45,000) and the park improvement fund ($102,118).
Accessibility and design: staff and Parks & Recreation staff described the layout as heavily focused on ADA access and sensory features for children with disabilities; the manufacturer's ForeverLawn surface is wheelchair accessible and the play structures include accessible components. Parks staff said the design uses the park's slope and includes an ADA path and an Oodle Swing and other accessible features. Val Ligon, parks staff, characterized the planned outcome succinctly: "This park will be the most ADA-accessible park we have in the area," and staff said they toured comparable installations prior to selecting the design.
Schedule and procurement: staff said the Oregon Parks and Recreation notice to proceed sets a project completion deadline (staff stated the project notice requires completion by Dec. 31; transcript contained an apparent date transcription error of "2006," which staff and the grant notice context indicate should be Dec. 31, 2026). To avoid supplier price increases and to accomplish work in a narrow construction window, staff requested authorization to purchase equipment promptly and to perform construction with city crews late summer to early fall. Council approved the equipment purchase and directed staff to proceed with the project.
Ending: staff will finalize procurement and follow the grant reporting and construction schedule; council and the Parks Commission will receive updates as construction proceeds.
