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Council selects Option One for Walter H. McNeil Jr. Park playground funded by PARTF grant
Summary
After two community sessions, councilors favored Option One — an ADA‑compliant playground with lime and blue coloring — to be funded through a PARTF grant; staff will return with recommendations on park color branding and a parking closure resolution for the Farmers' Market.
Sanford councilors signaled consensus on a playground design for Walter H. McNeil Jr. Park during Tuesday’s work session, selecting Option One from four ADA‑compliant designs presented under a Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) grant.
Parks Administrator Caroline Jeffries said two community sessions drew substantial public input and recommended upgrades including parking, a picnic shelter and a nature trail to satisfy state PARTF requirements. Caleb Mangum of Carolina Recreation and Design presented four playground options; council favored Option One for its accessibility, durability and room for future expansion.
Jeffries said the chosen option’s color scheme — lime and blue with charcoal posts — earned council consensus, and she asked whether that palette should be used as a recurring brand across future parks. Council members asked staff to review the idea and return with a recommendation.
Jeffries also briefed council on a Farmers' Market Facility Use Agreement (separate agenda item) and noted staff will present a resolution at the next Council meeting to close the parking lot adjacent to the Farmers' Market each Saturday during market hours.
The PARTF grant was received in October 2024 and the project planning is within the state budget parameters included in the grant application; however, Jeffries noted the State Legislature had not finalized a budget at the time of the work session and reimbursement processes remain subject to state rules.
