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Manville Council approves Heritage Park inclusive playground design, authorizes up to $162,000
Summary
City council accepted the Parks & Recreation Board recommendation to buy a GameTime playground for Heritage Park with a not-to-exceed price of $162,000, capturing a time-limited vendor discount and leaving surfacing and minor finish decisions for later.
The Manville City Council on Tuesday approved a parks board-backed plan to install an inclusive playground at Heritage Park and authorized the city manager to proceed with procurement for the equipment at a not-to-exceed price of $162,000.
The Parks and Recreation Board recommended the GameTime playground design, emphasizing inclusivity features for children with mobility and sensory needs. Tim Duckworth of Cunningham Recreation presented the vendor rendering and described components intended for ages 2–5 and 5–12, transfer platforms and grip-surface bridges for mobility-device users, ground-level activity panels, multiple slides and climbers, and shaded areas. "My name is Tim Duckworth. I'm with Cunningham Recreation representing Game Time Playgrounds," Duckworth told council members during the presentation.
Council members and staff said the city could capture a vendor discount of roughly $95,000 if it approves the design quickly. The playground equipment itself is an add-alternate to the city hall expansion and Heritage Park project; staff said ordering now secures the manufacturer lead time (about 12 weeks) without obligating the city to immediate site work, which depends on the general contractor schedule.
Councilman Bonner, the parks board liaison, said board members reviewed samples and textures and prioritized an equipment package that would serve a broad range of children. The council discussed surfacing options: engineered wood fiber (approximate current unit cost cited in staff discussion at about $9 per square foot) versus poured-in-place rubber (roughly $30–$36 per square foot). The parks board recommended equipment only; final surfacing was left for a later decision pending available funds and bid results.
The council also reviewed operational and warranty details presented by the vendor: the fabric awnings used for shade carry a two-year warranty for the cloth with an expected useful life of about 10 years in local sun exposure; metal frames are separate from the textile warranty. Staff said site-preparation work, electrical service and drainage must be coordinated with the contractor and will affect the installation schedule.
A motion from Councilman Bonner to accept the Parks and Recreation Board recommendation and authorize the city manager to execute documents for the playground passed with a second from Councilman O'Plager; council recorded the vote in favor and approved the not-to-exceed amount.
Council members asked staff to bring surfacing and small amenity decisions (benches, shaded picnic tables, and possible ground-level play features for a leftover area) back for council consideration before installation. Staff said they would review bids and return with a recommendation as project numbers firm up.
The playground design covers roughly 5,000 square feet of play surface and is sited behind the existing city hall building near the planned pavilion and restroom, officials said. Installation timing will follow the contractor’s site-prep schedule and the city’s general-contractor bidding for the city hall expansion and park improvements.
