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North Bend officials weigh removal of unsafe Oak Street Park playground after repeated vandalism
Summary
City staff told the council the Oak Street Park playground has been closed for safety reasons after repeated damage; replacement would cost at least tens of thousands and there is no budgeted funding, so staff recommended removal or reimagining the space unless funding is secured.
At a July 21 North Bend City Council work session, the parks and facilities manager told councilors that the Oak Street Park playground has been closed "until we make a determination as to what to do with it" after repeated vandalism and safety failures.
The parks and facilities manager said the slide has been torn off the structure three times — a single slide module is approximately a $6,000 item — and that a trolley/zip-line safety feature and several platform boards are broken or rotted. "So right now, it's roped all the way off and there are signs on it saying that it's not safe to play on and closed until we make a determination as to what to do with it," the manager said.
City staff outlined three options: attempt repairs, replace the play structure with a new certified system, or remove the structure and reimagine the space for passive recreation. Staff said original manufacturer's replacement parts are no longer available, meaning a repaired set would not meet American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) playground safety standards. "That's not saying I can't go out and buy treated wood, repair the platforms and make it usable. It just will not meet ASM requirements," the parks and facilities manager said.
Staff and residents described the scale of likely costs. Vendors estimated about $85,000 for a replacement play set of the cited size, with certified installation required to meet safety codes; staff estimated a realistic total replacement cost in the $150,000–$180,000 range once installation and surfacing are included. The manager said the current structure was installed about 18 years ago after being donated by a preschool and that modern playground lifecycles and safety standards are typically about 10 years. "We just refilled that playground with the actual, engineered wood mulch," the manager said, noting installation and surfacing costs and certification requirements.
Councilors and members of the public reported minor injuries at the site and urged prompt action. One resident described a grandchild sustaining scrapes from protruding screws. The council discussed the city's limited budget and competing urgent needs; the city administrator noted other costly capital work is pending, including a significant roof repair. The administrator said moving funds from reserves is an option but would further reduce dwindling reserves.
Councilors signaled informal consensus that the existing structure presents an immediate safety hazard and that removal should be considered promptly. One councilor said removal and then reimagining the site as an area for "passive recreation" would be a likely course if funding for a certified replacement cannot be identified. The parks and facilities manager said staff can remove the structure using city crews at a cost of several thousand dollars in labor and equipment and that staff will present options to the council before taking further steps.
Staff also described the limits and risks of accepting donated equipment: donated sets are rarely purchased and installed to current ASTM standards and may not meet certification requirements. "The danger there is, much like another one of our parks ... I don't believe that it's up to ASM standards, and I don't believe it was installed by an ASM," the parks and facilities manager said, referring to a previously donated playground.
The council did not vote on any motion at the July 21 session. Staff said they would bring recommended next steps and cost estimates to a future meeting if councilors want the city to pursue removal, replacement, or fundraising for a certified new play structure.
