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Dallas adds ADA-accessible swings to capital plan after residents press for inclusive play
Summary
Council added a two-bay ADA swing at City Park to the capital improvement plan and authorized staff to pursue procurement; estimated project cost is about $40,000 with community contributions and grant support.
The Dallas City Council on Oct. 6 voted to add a two-bay ADA-accessible swing and accessible surfacing at City Park to the city’s capital improvement plan, responding to public comments about the need for inclusive playground equipment.
Public Works Director Jennifer Ward told the council the project’s total cost is about $40,000 and meets the standards supplied by the equipment vendor. "This is a total project cost of about $40,000 which qualifies it to be a capital improvement project," Ward said. Funding commitments already include $5,000 from the Dallas Rotary and $5,000 from the Dallas Community Foundation; staff also referenced a prior Moda grant (about $37,000) and vendor Game Time discounts that helped reduce overall costs.
Mandy Strauss, who spoke during public comment, described the importance of an accessible swing for children with physical and cognitive disabilities, saying, "The one thing ... brings more joy to them than anything else is a swing." Strauss urged the city to use space at John Barnard Park for accessible equipment; staff said design constraints at John Barnard affected where swings could be installed and that a horizontal tire swing and other accessible elements are part of the John Barnard project.
Councilors asked for procurement and scheduling specifics; staff said surfacing work over $10,000 will require multiple bids under procurement rules and that wet-season constraints could push installation into spring. Councillor Schilling moved to add the ADA swing project to the CIP for fiscal 2025–26; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously by voice vote.
Staff said the City will finalize location details (adjacent to the largest play structure on the "All Good" side of City Park) and proceed with bidding and ordering once the project is added to the CIP. No firm contractor completion date was set at the meeting, but staff indicated they would capture expected completion dates in any contract.
