Bettendorf staff outline $‑series playground upgrades for Edgewood, Lincoln and Friendship parks

John Burns, Bettendorf parks and recreation director, told the City Council committee of the whole on Sept. 2 that staff will bring final playground purchase proposals for Edgewood, Lincoln and Friendship parks to the council for approval in two weeks.

Burns said the recommendations reflect extensive public input and include new modern playgrounds, a rentable shelter at Edgewood, a parking‑lot reconfiguration at Lincoln (to be funded from a separate budget) and improvements intended to serve older children at Friendship Park. "This is round 1 for Edgewood," Burns said, describing the projects as the first phase of longer‑term work guided by the city's master plan.

The projects grew from neighborhood meetings at each park that Burns said averaged more than 150 in‑person attendees and produced nearly 700 in‑person interactions across the three meetings. Burns said the parks department used different engagement exercises at each site, including a $50,000 sticker budget exercise at Lincoln in which residents allocated three $50,000 stickers among proposed features.

Edgewood: The recommended Edgewood plan includes a large, modern multi‑age playground, a rentable shelter designed to hold about eight to 10 tables, drinking‑fountain replacements, concrete repairs and an accessible walkway near the park bathroom. Burns said the city received a discount through a Burke playgrounds grant and that the Edgewood proposal will be on the council agenda in two weeks.

Lincoln: Burns said Lincoln Park respondents prioritized a shelter, a modern playground and a parking lot reconfiguration to address safety concerns where vehicles and pedestrians currently intermingle. The parking‑lot renovation will come from a different budget line than the playground purchase, Burns said.

Friendship Park: Friendship drew the largest turnout at roughly 170 attendees, Burns said. The recommended playground mirrors features requested by the neighborhood but also adds climbing elements intended to engage older children. Burns said other ideas raised in the neighborhood included restrooms and the potential for a future pickleball court; those items were described as possible phase 2 or 3 projects rather than immediate purchases.

Maintenance and operations: Burns emphasized that the department will not simply install new equipment and leave maintenance to chance. "We want to make sure every piece of the park experience the whole way makes people feel like they're wanted in that community," he said. He described ongoing coordination with Public Works Director Brian Schmidt on a plan for recurring tasks such as scheduled mulch replacement, restroom painting and concrete repairs. Schmidt told the council contractors had power‑washed five restrooms and that crews will paint exteriors, replace soffits and epoxy floors this fall, followed by lighting upgrades.

Costs, grants and timeline: Burns said the three playground projects include installation, freight and site concrete and that the department secured about $200,000 in grant savings across the projects. He said Edgewood is planned as a spring 2026 construction project; Lincoln Park's playground work could begin this fall if approved, with installation targeted for November, and Friendship Park work could begin in late November. Burns also noted a near‑term ribbon cutting for Ed Sheck Park on Oct. 8 for work already underway.

What council members asked: Council members asked about minor maintenance items raised during neighborhood meetings. Council member Sechsler (referred to in the meeting as "Jerry") asked staff to comment on needed repairs such as painting, tennis court fencing and ball‑field maintenance. Burns and Schmidt said those types of repairs are being scheduled and, where not addressed in the current phase, will be prioritized in the next fiscal cycle.

Next steps: Staff will present final purchase contracts and budget authorization for the three playgrounds at the council meeting scheduled in two weeks. No formal council vote on the playground purchases occurred at the Sept. 2 committee meeting; the presentation served as the staff update and public input summary.