Students from Ivy League Academy presented a plan to the Carroll County Fiscal Court to create a playground near the soccer fields at Carroll County Park.

"We wanna propose our idea for the third playground at the Carroll County Park," said Christopher Perez, who introduced the student team and their timeline. The students said they planned to refurbish equipment removed from another playground and move it by Dec. 8, with refurbishing taking two to six weeks and a construction window planned for March.

Parks staff told the court the county had budgeted $250,000 for playgrounds this year and had spent about $200,000, leaving roughly $50,000 in the line item. Staff said mulch and maintenance will consume much of that remainder but that the students’ estimated project cost — about $3,700 before contingencies, with an asked contribution near $4,000 — could likely be covered from existing funds after internal review.

Members asked technical and liability questions about repainting and inspections. Staff confirmed the plan includes repainting the reused equipment and recommended coordinating with the original installer for on-site guidance and an inspection once the playground is reassembled to ensure compliance with safety standards.

Court members also discussed mulch depth, border materials and options to use low-maintenance borders to make mowing and upkeep easier. Staff urged the students to join project progress meetings and offered to provide calendars and contractor contact points.

The court did not record a separate vote specifically for the students’ request, but staff indicated the parks line item could absorb the small cost and encouraged the project to proceed with county oversight and vendor inspection.