Staff outlines playground inspection program, flags two priority replacements

Public Works and parks staff presented a playground inspection and replacement plan developed as part of an in‑house certification program. Staff said Frank (park supervisor; name appears with inconsistent spellings in the transcript) completed a certified playground inspector course and produced monthly inspection records and a combined condition and community‑preference assessment for each playground.

Priority sites and issues: Staff identified Scott Holland Park and Sycamore Avenue playgrounds as top priorities. Scott Holland still contains older wood structures showing signs of decay. Sycamore Avenue uses nonstandard components and the manufacturer is hard to reach for replacement parts; some donor‑decorated tiles are failing. Staff discussed adding adaptive swings and other elements while avoiding overly bespoke components that are difficult to replace.

Cost context and planning: Commissioners asked for order‑of‑magnitude costs to inform retreat prioritization. Staff provided an example quote for replacing wood with Trex at Scott Highlands that was transcribed as around $3,030,000 and noted that the figure did not include labor; staff advised that firm cost estimates may be premature and promised to produce rough cost ranges for the top priorities before the retreat.

Maintenance and spare parts: Staff described inventory practices for common replaceable parts (e.g., swing hooks and springs) and explained that very custom slides and tubes are difficult to source and not practical to stock in large quantities. Commissioners suggested exploring standardized components to simplify long‑term maintenance while balancing unique playground character.

Next steps: Staff will circulate the playground assessment packet and provide order‑of‑magnitude cost examples (full replacement vs. partial element replacement) ahead of the April retreat.