10-30-2018 Parks & Rec Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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identified through the playground manufacturer GameTime. Staff had vetted GameTime playground equipment back the equipment was scheduled for replacement in the spring 2017. Staff thought that GameTime products were superior to the other companies with many new features. The original design that Minnesota/Wisconsin Playground (GameTime vendor) drafted for the replacement within the current containers was also the favorite of the students we had polled at Arbor Day. When staff became aware of the grant opportunity, it seemed to be a great opportunity to submit an application and take advantage of the available grant funds. Staff presented the grant opportunity to the Parks & Recreation Commission at their October 4, 2018 meeting. Staff indicated that the timeline to submit for grant funding would need to be done in a short period of time and that the deadline was before their next meeting. The Commission unanimously thought that this opportunity was worth exploring and that they were willing to offer input and comments via alternative communication methods. The Parks & Recreation Commission provided a list of features they would like to see included provided by multiple stakeholders including resident and park users. The Commission wanted a separate play area designed for 2-5-year-old kids and an area designed for 5-12-year-old kids. They also wanted the playground to be ADA accessible and incorporate elements for all-inclusive play. They recommended that the playground include a range of height elements with ropes and bridges, have an Earth Tone color scheme that fit with the surrounding area, and features that are unique to the area and not like other nearby parks. They wanted a unique playground the Little Canada residents will be proud of for the next twenty-plus years. Based on that information, staff was able to come up with a couple of different options for a playground equipment. Through polling and feedback from the Parks & Recreation Commission, the results were unanimous support for one of the 2-5-year -old playgrounds and a 5-2 majority vote for “Jagger’s Journey” playground (see attached images). These play areas were able to incorporate all of the features that were identified by the Commission that would make this playground unique and a ‘very cool’ addition to the park. Staff submitted for the grant with the above playground equipment list on the application. The grant was offering up to 100% matching funds through the program. If successful, the City of Little Canada was eligible to receive up to $86,922 in matching funds toward the purchase of play equipment. The City was awarded a grant in the amount of $84,205.00. That is a substantial reduction in cost. From the terms of the grant, the City needs to pay for and take possession of the equipment in 2018. Staff is confident that there is indoor space available for the equipment to be stored until next spring. The crates and visible equipment will be inspected upon arrival, but if defects or missing pieces are found during the install process those items will be covered under the warranty. The swings are an additional feature that was not part of the grant funding. The cost of the swings and equipment are $8,280.18. It would be beneficial to order the swings with the playground equipment at this time to save on freight charges. The color palettes of the playground equipment are provided in the attached documents. From the feedback from the Parks & Recreation Commission and staff members, staff is