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Spring City wins $249,000 CDBG for City Park playground; residents press for ADA, shade and historic theme
Summary
Spring City received $249,000 through the 2026 Community Development Block Grant for a complete playground replacement at City Park Square. At a May 7 public hearing residents and council members discussed vendor quotes, ADA access, shade options and next steps for final design and environmental review.
Spring City Mayor Paul Penrod opened a May 7 public hearing to gather community input after the city’s application for the City Park Playground Project won $249,000 in the 2026 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) regional ranking process. The funds will be used to replace playground equipment on City Park Square.
Community organizer Christi McGriff, who said she has spent five years working to improve the park, told the hearing she initially pursued a splash pad and held two cookbook fundraisers before identifying the CDBG opportunity. She said she has obtained three quotes and identified Garrett Parks & Play as the most promising vendor; she plans to assemble final proposals and present the options to the City Council and the public, possibly via a foyer display and a PowerPoint presentation.
McGriff outlined several design priorities for the project, including ADA-accessible features (accessible straps, shaded activity areas and picnic tables with open sides for wheelchair access), multiple shade approaches (full-coverage sails for lower structures, umbrellas or side sails for taller equipment), and the possibility of a frontier- or historic-themed playground that would match Spring City’s character. She noted some themed elements (for example, storefront-style panels or lumber-styled slides) can be swapped in without significantly increasing cost, while surfacing choices (wood-fiber versus foam padding) could affect the budget.
Resident Becky Holbrook Brunner thanked McGriff and CDBG for the award and emphasized the personal importance of ADA features, saying she has two children who use wheelchairs. Grandparent and resident Dan Rasmussen expressed excitement about a new play area for grandchildren and asked whether a frontier-themed design would be more expensive than a standard playground; McGriff said costs depend on the specific components selected.
Council Member James Baker asked about using volunteers for demolition and ground-preparation work while staying within state procurement and environmental rules. Cade Penney of R6 replied that the required environmental review will include ground testing and that contractors procured through state processes (Garrett Play and other approved firms) will be able to certify work; that explanation framed how volunteer labor could fit with state compliance requirements.
Next steps: McGriff will gather the final vendor proposal and options for surfacing, shade and themed elements and make those available to the City Council and the public for review. The hearing concluded with no formal vote; Mayor Penrod closed the meeting at 6:47 p.m.
