Parks board pursues $300,000 grant to add accessible playground features at Bobby Buck

Parks staff announced the city is applying for a $300,000 grant to upgrade Bobby Buck park with new, largely accessible playground and exercise equipment, and said delivery of one new playground kit is expected in about four weeks.

The application, staff said, would require no local match and could fund an array of elements: an accessible seesaw and swings, a ground-level wheelchair-accessible play feature, a climbing boulder and benches distributed along the trail. Staff member (identified in the transcript as Speaker 6) said PlayWorld, represented by Kelly Collins, has provided conceptual layouts and would be the primary equipment vendor if the grant is awarded.

Why it matters: staff said the project would bring new ADA-accessible equipment to Bobby Buck — a stated goal from earlier community surveys — and could make the park a “destination” with exercise nodes and shaded accessible play opportunities. Much of the work, staff said, would be completed by the city’s maintenance crews and local contractors once equipment arrives.

Staff and board members highlighted a few cost and procurement constraints. Speaker 6 said certain accessible elements require poured-in-place rubber surfacing so wheelchairs can access the equipment, and gave a rough surfacing price and area estimate; the speaker emphasized those surfacing costs are a significant line item. Staff estimated base equipment before add-ons at about $154,000; swings and surfacing add additional cost but, according to staff’s estimates, the program remains within the $300,000 grant cap.

Procurement and timeline: staff told the board the grant’s question period closes Nov. 1, after which the grantor will release answers publicly. They noted city purchasing rules could complicate buying specific items under a state contract and suggested a surrogate applicant (a nonprofit partner) could be used to streamline purchasing and avoid procurement hurdles. Staff also said the council previously approved setting aside $30,000 of park capital for Bobby Buck; if the grant is awarded, staff said they would seek council approval to reallocate that local set-aside elsewhere in the park system.

Fundraising and smaller grants: staff reported a separate $55,000 application to a community fund (T-Mobile community grant) to cover the cost of a prebuilt restroom/concession building for the tennis-court area. Local donors — including a $5,000 pledge from Ray Ray Corp (with an additional $5,000 pledged if community fundraising reaches a stated threshold) and contributions from the Fannin family — have also committed funds toward the bathroom project, staff said.

Next steps: staff asked the board to confirm the community outreach and planning direction so the city can complete the grant application. If awarded, the staff said the city and any surrogate applicant would manage procurement and installation with a target of completing certain elements by the next tennis season.