Gahanna parks staff show playground renderings, estimate $860,000 project and ask council to authorize purchase

Gahanna parks staff on June 17 presented renderings for a replacement playground at Friendship Park, outlining safety, accessibility and schedule considerations and saying they will ask the mayor to enter agreements for purchase and installation pending city-council authorization.

The staff presentation highlighted a perimeter fence to protect users from the adjacent creek and a mix of surface types: a poured-in-place, accessible rubber surface (higher cost) and engineered wood fiber (lower cost). Staff said the new playground will remain in the existing location but have a substantially larger footprint — "probably a third to a quarter to a third larger" — and include distinct two-to-five and five-to-12 play areas, a net climber and interactive panels for a built-in "critter hunt."

Parks staff estimated the project at "just over $860,000," including a $25,000 foundation contribution, a $10,000 gift from the Gahanna Kiwanis and a GameTime grant the presenter said was "over $100,000." With a contingency the presenter said the total is "just under $900,000." The presenter said, "it's anywhere from 8 to 12 weeks" for equipment lead time and noted that poured-in-place surfacing must be installed when temperatures are about 50°F or higher — a constraint that could push installation into 2027 if delays occur.

On timing, staff said the council is expected to consider authorization on July 6; the department cannot execute a purchase contract until that authorization and then will depend on equipment lead time and weather. Staff estimated demolition and earthwork would take a few weeks and installation about eight to 12 weeks, and said they would avoid "half install[ing] the playground and hav[ing] it sit unoccupied for the winter." The board heard that the park would be closed for the duration of construction and that staff would aim, if schedule required shifting, to have the playground open for Memorial Day and summer camp season.

Design choices aim to balance play value, accessibility and budget. Staff described four swing bays with a mix of traditional belt swings, an infant seat, a saucer swing and at least one accommodating (nonstandard) seat, and said connections and approach paths were designed so users can reach accommodating swings from the poured surface where provided. The presentation also noted one small tree near the existing footprint will likely be removed for safety and construction clearance.

Staff emphasized that some specialty equipment can have longer lead times, especially if manufactured overseas, and that color and pole finishes were selected after community input. The board did not vote on the project at the meeting; staff said council consideration is the next procedural step.

The parks department estimates more than 300 households live within about half a mile of the neighborhood playground and said the build will be a "significant upgrade" to current equipment and play value. Next steps are city-council consideration on July 6 and, if authorized, finalizing a purchase contract and scheduling installation based on lead times and seasonal weather constraints.