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District proposes ADA‑friendly playground turf; preliminary bids estimate up to $905,000 systemwide
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Summary
Staff proposed replacing bark surfacing with artificial turf and rubber underlayment at elementary school playgrounds to improve ADA access; one vendor estimate was $13.40/sq ft with an extrapolated worst‑case total of about $905,000 across five elementary playgrounds; staff will solicit multiple bids and return with specific contract approvals.
District staff proposed upgrading playground surfacing at elementary schools to an artificial turf system with a rubber underlay to improve ADA accessibility. Staff said the recommendation came after consultation with the district’s ADA representative and noted the turf system can be welded and patched in maintenance repairs.
A staff member cited one vendor price of $13.40 per square foot and used that figure to extrapolate costs for all five elementary playgrounds, producing a worst‑case estimate of about $905,000. As an example, Old Mill’s main playground was quoted at $79,864 for approximately 5,960 square feet. Staff said these were early estimates, that they had only one formal vendor quote so far and that they would solicit additional bids.
Board members and staff discussed maintenance tradeoffs and heat concerns. Staff said the turf includes a two‑to‑three‑inch rubber underlayment for fall protection and that small areas (for example, under swings) will wear and likely need replacement every 5–10 years. One board member asked whether the surface gets hot in summer; staff said they would follow up with vendors and counterparts in other districts.
Staff said capital funds were already included for some playground work this year and proposed bringing specific bids to the board next month for approval, with potential use of additional capital funds if the board opts to accelerate multiple sites in fiscal year 2027.
