Encinitas commission approves playground replacement designs for Glen, Orpheus and Wiro parks

The Encinitas Parks and Recreation Commission on April 15 approved concept designs to replace playground equipment at Glen Park, Orpheus Park and Wiro Park, and to add outdoor fitness equipment at Glen and Orpheus.

The vote followed a presentation by Jeremy Franzini, a landscape architect with Michael Baker International, and staff comments that Orpheus is covered by a state grant while Glen would be paid from the city's park improvement fund or general fund. The commission added one change before approving the designs: replacing one of two standard swings at Wiro Park with a toddler (bucket) swing.

The designs presented to the commission separate play areas by age where site space permits. Franzini said Glen Park's concept separates a 2-to-5 play area and a 5-to-12 play area, adds a three-bay swing set, and replaces worn rubber surfacing with engineered wood fiber ("engineered mulch") to meet ADA access and fall-attenuation requirements. He described an exercise area proposed for Glen that would repurpose the…