Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks Playground topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Vendor outlines Woodlane Park playground plan; council weighs cost and ADA options
Summary
A parks vendor presented a two-unit playground design for Woodlane Park with sensory features, an ADA ramp and a fabric canopy; wood-fiber surfacing is estimated at about $9,878 for material versus a poured rubber option above $150,000, and installation timelines point to a likely fall build, the vendor said.
A parks equipment representative described a proposed redesign for Woodlane Park that would add two play units (for ages 2–5 and 5–12), a fabric shade canopy, ADA access ramp and sensory play elements.
"We would like to cover the playgrounds as much as we can," Greg Powell of Ben Schafer Recreation said, explaining the fabric canopy is typically removed for winter months to avoid snow loading. Powell estimated equipment lead times of roughly six to eight weeks in summer and said installation could realistically occur in the fall if purchase orders were issued promptly.
Powell outlined two surfacing options and their approximate costs. For a roughly 5,500–6,500 square-foot area, he said loose-fill wood fiber material would cost about $9,878 in material (plus installation), while a poured-rubber surface for that footprint could be north of $150,000 because of excavation, stone subbase and layered bonded rubber surfacing. "There's a large difference," Powell said, advising the council on trade-offs between cost and durability.
The vendor described warranties and maintenance expectations: metal components carry a long-term warranty (he cited 100 years for metal parts), moving parts such as swing hangers have five-year warranties and plastic parts come with UV additives he said equate to long-term sun protection; he added the company replaces cracked plastic pieces without prorating in year 14 under typical practice.
Council members asked technical and site-specific questions — including whether canopy fabric is a hard plastic or canvas, whether tables would be anchored, and whether the border sections are removable. Powell recommended removing fabric canopies for winter and confirmed the borders are set in 6-foot sections. He also said an ADA ramp would be tied into the border and noted staff discussed adding a concrete path from the parking lot to meet ADA considerations.
Council President Kuehn said renderings will be circulated and council members will have input on color schemes and siting. "We updated the website so residents can easily get those documents," Kuehn said earlier when noting improved access to planning materials.
Next steps described in the presentation included circulating color renderings for council input, confirming final site dimensions, and issuing purchase orders to lock lead times. Powell said labor availability for installations remains the industry bottleneck and could push some schedules later into the season, but the loose-fill surfacing would allow construction at more times of year than poured rubber.
The council did not make a final decision during the presentation; members instructed staff to return with renderings, final cost breakdowns and any recommended anchors or long-term canopy options.
