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Council approves $971,000 replacement playground at North Community Park
Summary
The Rogers City Council approved the North Community Park playground replacement under the 2026 CIP, selecting an inclusive, ADA‑accessible design estimated at $971,000 out of a $1 million budget; the council heard a vendor presentation describing accessible play elements, misting features and plans to auction the old equipment, and staff indicated installation around August.
The Rogers City Council voted to proceed with the North Community Park playground replacement as outlined in the city's 2026 capital improvements plan. Director Bower said the existing playground, installed in 2001, no longer meets modern safety and accessibility standards and that the project has a $1 million budget.
The Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission and a city survey of 178 residents recommended the winning design; staff identified the selected proposal as coming from a firm referenced in the transcript as Minnesota Wisconsin Playground (with play elements from Game Time / Playcore). Director Bower said the selected playground design is estimated at roughly $971,000, with the remainder of the budget earmarked for site furnishings and repainting the pavilion to match the new equipment.
Vendor representatives (Dan Lanes of Minnesota Wisconsin Playground and Ron Blake, Game Time regional sales manager) described the inclusive features: separate 2–5 and 5–12 play areas with rubber surfacing, adaptive and expression swings, transfer stations for slides, accessible spinners and climbers, adult fitness equipment, shade structures and three misting features intended as cooling zones rather than splash pads. The design includes cubbies and quiet "timeout" areas for children who need a low‑stimulation space.
Staff said the city will remove and auction the existing equipment, prepare surface and drainage, and extend a water line for the misting feature. Vendor representatives said the site could qualify as a national demonstration site and that they plan to share usage reporting and user‑experience data collected from the installation.
Council members asked about maintenance and selected color/logo placement; staff estimated installation and operation could occur around August (the transcript does not specify the year). The council approved the motion to proceed by voice vote; the transcript does not identify the motion maker or second.
The playground will be sited near the middle school, just east of the movie theater, according to staff.
