Commission approves $707,991.84 for Parker Bennett and Reservoir Hill playground replacements, emphasizes inclusive design and historic context

The Bowling Green Board of Commissioners voted Jan. 7, 2025, to purchase replacements for the Parker Bennett Park playground and the Reservoir Hill playground (also known on the record as C. F. Smith Park) from GameTime through the Omnia Partners cooperative purchasing contract for $707,991.84.

The city and parks staff said the work is part of the FY2025 capital program and emphasized accessible, inclusive design at Parker Bennett and a naturalistic, historically themed playground at Reservoir Hill. Parks staff estimated delivery of playground equipment in about nine to 12 weeks and said the Parker Bennett installation will be scheduled so the summer camp season can use the new equipment.

Why it matters: The project replaces aging equipment and advances the commission’s stated goal of making renovated playgrounds accessible to children with disabilities. Staff also said the Reservoir Hill design will acknowledge the site’s historical significance and incorporate landscape elements and fencing to mark the historic area.

What the commission approved

The municipal order (approved on the record as part of the Jan. 7 meeting) authorizes the purchase from GameTime for $707,991.84 under an Omnia Partners cooperative contract. Parks staff said both playgrounds will use artificial-turf surfacing (no mulch) to improve accessibility. Commissioner and community discussion covered project timing, preservation of an existing climbing structure at Parker Bennett, additional sidewalks for accessibility, and the installation of a split-rail fence near Reservoir Hill intended to demarcate the historic site.

Parks staff and commissioners also discussed a neighborhood request for a soccer field adjacent to Parker Bennett. Parks staff said they have been in talks with nearby property owners about a possible off-site soccer area but that any soccer field would be separate from the Parker Bennett playground footprint because the city’s property ends at the basketball courts; the playground replacement itself is limited to the city-owned parcel.

Staff comments and timeline

Brent Belcher, parks staff, told the commission the Parker Bennett playground is designed as an inclusive site with ramped access so “every child in the neighborhood has an opportunity to play.” He said both playgrounds will use artificial turf and that mulch will not be part of either surface. Belcher estimated equipment delivery at roughly nine to 12 weeks from order, and said staff will aim to have Parker Bennett completed before the summer camp season.

On Reservoir Hill, commissioners and staff referenced C. F. Smith Park’s historic Civil War-era significance. The record notes outreach and partnership with local preservation groups and the city’s Neighborhood Community Services to coordinate tree plantings, interpretive plaques and the installation of a split-rail fence to set off the historic berm. One commissioner cited meetings with local historian Nick Raybould and pointed to recent plantings and other preservation work at the site.

Commission comments

Commissioner Dana Beasley Brown said she first pledged in 2018 to seek a new playground for Reservoir Hill and praised staff for responding to calls to make playgrounds inclusive. "I'm just so inspired and grateful for what you all are doing in parks," Beasley Brown said on the record, thanking staff for including inclusive design across playground renovations.

Commissioner Carlos Bailey raised neighborhood interest in an adjacent soccer field and asked whether that remained possible; parks staff said the city has approached property owners in the neighborhood and discussions are ongoing but any field would be off the playground site.

Funding and procurement

Parks staff confirmed the purchase is included in the FY2025 capital budget. The contract will be executed through Omnia Partners, the cooperative purchasing vehicle used by the city. Parks staff noted the Parker Bennett installation will require removal of existing mulch and careful work to preserve an existing climbing structure that will remain.

Vote and next steps

The commission voted to approve the purchase and contract (roll call recorded unanimous approval). Staff said they will proceed with procurement and site preparation, coordinate delivery timing (estimated nine to 12 weeks), and return with any required updates to the commission as work progresses.

Ending: The approval commits capital funds to two visible neighborhood projects: an inclusive, ramped playground at Parker Bennett and a naturalistic, historically themed playground at Reservoir Hill. Staff signaled a near-term procurement and an installation schedule intended to have Parker Bennett ready for summer programming.