Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Parks & Recreation Department

TO:	Tom Markus, City Manager Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager
CC:	Casey Toomay, Assistant City Manager Ernie Shaw, Interim Director, Parks & Recreation
FROM:	Mark Hecker, Assistant Director, Parks and Recreation
DATE:	March 25, 2016
RE:	Playground Surfacing – Grant Submittal

Background

The Parks & Recreation Department operate and maintain 35 playgrounds in the City’s parks system. In 2012, new ADA laws were enacted that further delineate the need for more accessible surfacing under public owned playgrounds. The past practice of using wood chips under all play structures, in all locations, is no longer acceptable. This project will be the second of a multi-year project to upgrade our playgrounds from loose fill surfacing to poured-in-place rubber surfacing. The primary initial goal is to establish fully accessible play structures in all portions of the City.  The 2015 playgrounds surfacing upgrades were done at East Lawrence Center and Watson Park. The 2016 proposed projects would be at Holcom Park and Centennial Park. These are both highly used facilities with relatively new play structures.

Project Funding

The estimated total cost to renovate the surfaces at these two playgrounds is $80,000 - $90,000. Grant funding may be available to fund fifty percent (50%) of this project through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s (KDHE) waste rubber recycling program. Vendors for this program have been preselected by KDHE and will provide quotes for grant application purposes. The City’s portion of the project would be funded from Sales Tax Reserve.

Action Requested

Authorize staff to request proposals from playground surfacing vendors and submit a KDHE grant application to install poured-in-place rubber playground surfacing at Holcom Park and Centennial Park.