District proposes new ADA-accessible playgrounds at Dundee Highlands and Meadowvale, $316,467 each

The Board Operations Committee reviewed a recommendation to replace playground equipment at Dundee Highlands and Meadowvale elementary schools and move from mulch surfacing to a poured-in-place rubber surface.

Staff said the equipment selections are part of the district master facility plan and noted that Dundee Highlands’ playground is obsolete and Meadowvale’s equipment is heavily used and sited near a busy roadway. Administration recommended approving two projects priced at $316,467 each for equipment and poured-in-place rubber surfacing, for a combined total of $632,934, funded from the district’s capital improvement fund (Fund 60). Staff said the purchases are routed through the district’s cooperative purchasing contract (CO-OP) and that the mosaic of equipment across schools will be standardized so children at different schools have the same play experience.

Board members asked about surface selection and maintenance. Staff said the rubberized surfacing provides better wheelchair accessibility than mulch and can be cut and repaired by trained staff, and that the district will monitor the new surface and report lessons learned. A board member asked staff to provide feedback after the first season of use since the vendor has not previously installed this specific rubberized surface across District 300 sites.

No formal vote was recorded in the meeting transcript; staff recommended board approval and answered questions about site selection, ADA benefits and the district’s multi-year facilities cycle.