Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Pinellas Park public works highlights playground inspection and adaptive‑equipment maintenance
Summary
City public‑works staff demonstrated playground safety checks, including finger‑entrapment testing, and described proactive maintenance on adaptive equipment to keep 17 parks safe for families.
Pinellas Park public‑works staff on April 7 demonstrated the city’s procedures for playground inspections and described routine maintenance that keeps adaptive play equipment safe for residents.
Donovan Stevens, introduced by the crew as the city’s certified playground inspector, walked through a finger‑entrapment test used to identify hazardous openings on playground equipment. "If I happen to put this one in and get movement until it's stuck, then it's considered a hazard and it has to be written down," Stevens said, explaining that two dowel sizes represent typical finger widths for younger and older children.
Public‑works supervisor Caleb Odell said the city maintains about 17 parks and checks structures and moving parts—such as a zipline‑style adaptive apparatus—for lubrication, wear and preemptive closures when repairs are needed. "We do everything we can to prevent a part from breaking and changing it first," Odell said, noting staff sometimes close equipment while awaiting parts or repairs and post signage for public safety.
The presentation emphasized accessible, adaptive features and routine processes for recording hazards, performing repairs and directing residents to report issues to the public‑works office. The demonstration preceded the council’s regular agenda items and served as public outreach explaining how the city inspects, documents and addresses equipment safety issues.
