Pictured is the playground to be installed sometime this year at Lewis Park. It’s being purchased from Playworld, and will be assembled in house by city employees as a cost saving measure.
(Image submitted)
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The city’s parks and recreation commission got an update on a new playground to go into Lewis Park in the near future.
Parks and Grounds Superintendent Eric Hinkle said the city has put in a purchase order with Playworld, the company manufacturing the equipment. He said the city is building the playground in-house, which will save about $10,000.
Typically, the city has paid a playground company to come in and install new playground structures. The choice to install the playground in-house will allow the city to install a larger play area.
The city has $75,000 budgeted for the project. With the cost of installation mitigated, all of that funding can go toward the physical structure.
“We get a little more playground for the money,” Public Service Director Mike Andrako said.
At last month’s meeting, officials said two Playworld employees would work with the city for two days during the structure’s construction. According to Hinkle, the new playground will replace the existing one at Lewis Park.
“It’ll be in this year, I just don’t have a specific timeframe,” he said.
According to Andrako, the new structure is “pretty similar” to the ones that have already been installed in other parks.
New features include a swing set and additional ground features for children to play on.
Andrako said the city typically tries to replace “one or two playgrounds per year.” Playgrounds have a 10 to 15 year lifespan, and it’s the Lewis Park playground’s turn.
“We’re trying to bring them all up to standard,” Andrako said.
The playground at Lewis Park is currently being trashed. Andrako said since the playground is older and doesn’t meet modern safety standards, the city has no use for it.
“We can’t repurpose it because of liability issues,” he said.
Officials have said they plan to work around the schedules of local football leagues.
In other commission news:
-The city is looking to refurbish its baseball fields at Eljer Park.
Hinkle said the fields would be closed the week of April 16. The update will include new field dressing and laser grading.
“The problem right now is on the first base line, the water kind of stands there,” he said.
The city will also have a learning day with the baseball leagues “to make sure they take care of it the way they should.”
Hinkle said he hopes to have the fields open in April.