PLAYGROUND GRANT COMMUNITY-BUILD PROJECT UPDATE

In May 2013, the City applied for a KaBOOM! grant to update the playground equipment at Edgewood Park, which is nearing its 30 year projected use and is in need of replacement. In September 2013, the City was notified by KaBOOM! it has been awarded $20,000 grant for this project. Over the past month, Parks and Recreation has facilitated two public meetings to discuss both the new playground, as well as relocating the playground closer to East Lawrence Recreation Center, which is adjacent to the park. We have also communicated with the Brook Creek Neighborhood Association and the Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority, which use the playground and discussed both the potential relocation and the features desired for the playground.

 

Parks and Recreation has many camps headquartered out of East Lawrence Recreation Center, especially Special Populations programming, which utilize the playground in Edgewood Park. Staff has indicated it is difficult to get children to and from the recreation center and the playground and vice versa for bathroom breaks and other necessary trips.  Plus, many parents remain on the premises when their children are attending a class or activity. Many of these parents have young children accompany them that are not in the class or activity and a playground closer to the recreation center would allow for their children to play a safe distance from the facility where a parent could better watch their activity. 

 

Through the meetings and discussion, the public in attendance were in agreement to relocate the playground next to East Lawrence Recreation Center because of the reasons stated previously, as well as the public thought the playground would be more visible and seemed to add an element of safety being closer to the facility than the current playground.

 

Here is a map showing the current placement of the playground and the area the new playground will be built, as well as the design of  the new playground and how it will look in the space next to the building. It is our plan to leave the current playground up until the new playground is installed in the new location and then remove the old playground sometime later this year.  The new playground will be installed the week of April 28 and will provide an opportunity for community volunteers to assist in its construction.