Moreland park undergoing $400,000 playground renovation
Moreland Park is undergoing a playground renovation costing more than $400,000, partly using grant funds from the state Energy and Environment Cabinet.
When complete next month, the park will have a new playground and toddler area, along with rubber playing surface funded with a $75,000 state grant from the Cabinet.
City Parks Director Amanda Rogers said the total cost of the project is $405,971, which will come out of the city's replacement fund. Parks officials review playgrounds with the idea of replacing them about every 15 years, or sooner, depending on factors such as wear and the amount of usage a playground receives.
"Having that in a plan is something a lot of communities don't have," Rogers said Wednesday.
The playground areas were designed by consulting with students to determine what features are most attractive to children, Rogers said.
"When I met with them originally, it wasn't in the current school year," Rogers said.
Although the playground was scheduled to be replaced in the last fiscal year, "we had to push the project, due to other projects that came up."
During her meetings with students, Roger said, "I gave them options on particular pieces of playground equipment and asked about categories (such as), 'do you like slides rather than swings?'
"Climbers were very popular, and slides over swings were popular, although they like swings as well," Rogers said.
Students were also consulted on the color of the equipment.
"We kind of went with a 'Cinnamon Toast Crunch' color scheme," Rogers said. The idea behind consulting with the students was to "make sure we are giving them a product they'll use, and use repeatedly," Rogers said.
The grant for the playground surface is from the Energy and Environment Cabinet's Crumb Rubber/Tire Derived Program.
The poured-in-place rubber playground surface was paid for with the state grant specifically for flooring made of recycled tires. Rogers said rubber surfacing has advantages over mulch, such as easier accessibility for people with disabilities and a consistently even surface to help prevent injuries from falls.
"The rubber surface makes it easier to traverse," for people with disabilities, making the playground more accessible, Rogers said.
"We would not have had the money to do the rubber surface at either of those (toddler or child) places" without the grant, Rogers said.
Work is currently underway at the park, and the playground is anticipated to be complete by Nov. 18, weather permitting.
