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Gladstone board leans toward modular design for Nick Shannon playground; asks for color and swing adjustments
Summary
Staff presented two Buell Recreation playground concepts for Nick Shannon; board members favored Option A (modular, more slides and ramps) with a revised color palette and a larger spinning element or additional swing options, and asked staff to request further renditions and consider targeted public outreach.
At the March 9 Parks and Recreational Advisory Board meeting, staff presented two playground concepts from Buell Recreation for Nick Shannon Park and asked for board feedback on design, accessibility and grant eligibility.
Staff described Option A as a modular design that can be expanded later and qualifies for a larger activity grant because it encourages active movement; Option B was described as more traditional with different climbing and play elements. "Both of these options do qualify for a grant," staff said, adding that the company does the installation.
Board members expressed a clear preference for Option A while suggesting color changes to better fit neighborhood requests for more natural palettes. Ian Moore said Option A includes an arch-climbing feature he has seen be popular at other parks and supported adding a third swing if it can fit: "A has a similar feature to what I've seen over at the new Concord library playground that's been really popular." Kate Cornelius and others asked staff to explore a larger spinning component or a different swing type that serves a wider age range.
Staff said they will ask the designer for additional renditions that could include a larger merry-go-round option and different color palettes and will bring updated images back to the board; staff also noted the company’s estimates include demolition and installation costs and that some site prep could be performed in-house to save money.
The board discussed accessibility elements and whether ramps meet required slopes; staff will follow up with specifications. Staff plans public outreach options (citywide or neighborhood-level) after revising the designs.
Next steps: staff to collect further design options from the vendor, confirm accessibility specifications, and discuss public outreach and grant-application details at a future meeting.
