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Mitchell Park slide damaged in suspected vandalism; family offers to help cover replacement cost
Summary
Staff reported that someone attempted to set a slide on fire at Mitchell Park; the slide remains in place and staff are seeking manufacturer specs for a retrofit or replacement. A family member of the park’s namesake has offered to pay for a new slide, pending cost and procurement steps.
Staff updated the board that a playground slide at Mitchell Park had been deliberately damaged in what staff described as an attempt to set the slide on fire. The staff member said the damage has left some melted plastic and cosmetic damage, but that staff judged the slide to be functionally safe for now. "There’s nothing that’s going to cut a kid," the staff member said when explaining why the slide had not been removed immediately.
Staff said they contacted the original equipment manufacturer (identified in the discussion as GameTime) and are awaiting precise specifications (for example, post spacing and attachment points) so they can order a correct replacement part or evaluate welding and retrofit options. Staff estimated a replacement 5-foot slide could cost in the low thousands and said final procurement will await accurate specs from the manufacturer.
Board members noted that the park exists in memory of Kenneth Mitchell; one board member said Mitchell’s son has offered to cover the cost of a replacement slide as a donation. The chair and staff agreed that the board would coordinate an appropriate approach if the family wishes to donate funds, noting standard city procedures for donations and reimbursements through city hall would be followed. No formal vote or contract was approved at the meeting.
The board asked staff to continue pursuing manufacturer specs and to report back with a recommended repair or replacement path and a cost estimate so the board can consider next steps.
