7.1.B. PRSR 12-12-2012 - Laserfiche WebLink

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)148j ilk REQUEST FOR ACTION River TO ITEM NUMBER Parks and Recreation Commission 7.1.B AGENDA SECTION MEETING DATE PREPARED BY Action Item December 12,2012 Michael Hecker,Parks and Recreation Director ITEM DESCRIPTION REVIEWED By Removal of Baldwin Park Playground Cal Portner, City Administrator REVIEWED BY ACTION REQUESTED Staff recommends the Parks and Recreation Commission recommend approval of removing the playground at Baldwin Park with no plans to replace it. This recommended action would also mean to remove the 2015 placeholder of replacing the playground in the Park Improvement Plan. BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION The playground equipment at Baldwin Park was originally installed in 1993. It is a smaller playground designed primarily for children under age five. A swing set originally installed during the same time is in good shape and not recommended for removal. Baldwin is an older playground in the Elk River Park system. Playground inspections indicate that the playground structure has a list of safety issues that need to be addressed. . The current playground structure can meet safety standards at a minimum investment of$3,000 for parts and surfacing material. Staff is recommending not investing the dollars into the playground because of its size and the repairs/fix will only be good for 2-3 years before other parts or the entire playground will need to be replaced. The playground also does not receive much use by the area residents,because of its size and age. It is located in the middle of three different apartment complexes between Kentucky Fried Chicken and the Salvation Army parallel to Highway 169. ANALYSIS Forty-five thousand ($45,000) is the price that was recommended in the Parks Capital Improvement Plan for 2015 to replace the current playground at Baldwin with a new play system that would be more substantial for playability. Even though this was a placeholder in the Park Improvement Plan for possible replacement, staff is now recommending removing and not replacing the playground and keeping the swings with the proper resilient surfacing of wood chips. We hope to see the life of the swings for another 5+years. Parks maintenance recently reduced the maintenance requirements at the site by removing a 30 year old perimeter fence and further desire to reduce maintenance by recommending removing the playground and surrounding pea gravel. The absence of the playground can be substituted with the current iIERER Rr N:\Departments\Parks and Recreation\Commission\Packets\2012\12-12-12 PRC Packet hem 71B_Baldwin � GNATURE Playground.docx