HomeMy WebLinkAbout15.B.2. Community Built Playground and Temporary Parking Lot and Roadway
1S:8,J-{
CITY OF SHAKOPEE I ~~
MEMORANDUM
To: Mayor and City Council L~
Mark McNeill, City Administrator
I
From: Mark Themig, Parks, Recreation and Facilities Director!
I
Meeting Date: August 3,2005 I
Subject: Community Built Playground and Temporary Parking Lot and
Roadway
INTRODUCTION
City Council is asked to authorize the Community Built Playground planned for Huber
Park to proceed, and the construction of a temporary parking lot and roadway.
BACKGROUND
A group of residents began exploring the concept of a community built playground - a
volunteer based initiative that involves the entire community - several years ago. The
residents and staff visited other community built playgrounds in Minnesota, including
Duluth and Waconia, to learn more about the playgrounds and the build process.
The residents formed a committee and contacted Leathers and Associates, a custom
designed community built playground firm out of Ithaca, NY, to learn more a90ut the
process. During the Waconia playground build in 2003, the committee had a chance to
meet with a representative from Leathers and Associates, at which time they committed
to making the community built playground a reality in Shakopee.
The formal process started in October 28, 2004 when Leathers and Associates came to
Shakopee to meet with almost 3,000 children in e,ach of the city's elementary schools.
During this marathon "design day", children shared their ideas for their dream
playground. The designer took their ideas and incorporated them into a concept plan
that was unveiled that night. Since that time, the committee has been working with
Leathers and Associates and city staff to finalize the design for the 19,000 fe
playground.
One of the very early discussion items was where to locate the playground. As part of
the Huber Park site planning process, Huber Park was identified as the best location for
the playground. The site plans that were developed identified Huber Park as a focal park
for Shakopee, and the playground would become a key amenity for the park. City
Council adopted the site plan with the playground in 2004.
Since that time, the committee has initiated the fundraising campaign, formed volunteer
committees, and most recently, held an organizational day on July 28, 2005. Each
aspect of the project appears to be in line for an October 4-9, 2005 build.
DISCUSSION
Community Built Playground
The community built playground is a project that has over 30 years of experience and
1,600 builds throughout the United States and the world. If authorized by City Council, it
will be one of the largest volunteer events for the city, incorporating hundreds of
volunteer residents, business owners, and workers over a two-week period in October.
The playground is professionally designed to meet all playground safety standards and
to comply with all ADA requirements. The build is supervised by two on-site construction
managers from Leathers and Associates, a volunteer construction manager, and teams
of project-specific volunteer coordinators.
Ongoing upgrades in materials and design help ensure that the playground is
constructed with the most durable materials available today. Recent improvements
include the use of composite wood materials for all decking, double-dipped galvanized or
stainless steel screws and nails, and treated lumber for support structures.
In order for the build to occur, we are seeking City Council authorization to proceed. The
process would begin during the week of September 26 with site preparation, site layout,
and footings. The build would begin October 3/4 and continue until the grand opening on
October 9. At the conclusion of the build, the playground would be inspected, punch list
items completed, and a formal donation made to the city. The value of the completed
structure will be approximately $150,000.
Playground Committee and Volunteers Role
The playground committee and volunteers are responsible for making the playground a
reality, and assume the majority of the work. This includes:
. Coordinating the design process. (Complete)
. Securing donations of money and materials.
. Recruiting all sub-committee chairs and volunteers.
. Coordinating the build process. (On some build days 200-300 volunteers can be
expected. )
. Securing all tools and equipment.
. Arranging for all support services associated with the build, including food, drinks,
restrooms, trash removal, etc.
I would anticipate that there are thousands of hours of volunteer time committed to this
project from the design day through completion of the build. One item that has not been
fully resolved is whether the volunteers will be considered volunteers of the Playground
Committee or the city for the purposes of insurance coverage. The Committee has
indicated that they are willing and would likely take out separate policy for the build, and
thus cover the volunteers. If it ends up that the committee asks that the volunteers be
volunteers of the city, we will need to come back to Council to discuss.
City Role
The city would have responsibilities associated with the build. The following is a
preliminary list of what is anticipated:
. Site preparation, including remaining 1,500 yds3 of fill needed to bring the
playground area up to final grade and construction of the temporary parking, staging,
and roadway.
. Storage of materials (slides, canopies, etc.) that need to be delivered prior to the
build and moved to the site for the build.
. Periodic city equipment and operator during the build, such as a front end loader for
approximately two hours to spread surfacing material (woodchips), skid loader for
smaller projects, etc.
. Picnic tables during the build for volunteers.
With the build, there would also need to be a commitment of city staff toward the project.
Although the specific needs have not been finalized, the following is what could be
anticipated:
. Public works staff periodically during the build process to assist with skilled labor
tasks.
. Parks, Recreation and Facilities Director to serve as the primary contact for the
committee and disseminate requests to appropriate city staff.
Long- Term Maintenance
After the playground is donated to the city, there would be long-term maintenance
needs, as there are with any play structures. Mike Hullander, Public Works Supervisor,
and I talked to the designer at the organizational day about long-term maintenance.
Based on Leathers and Associates' previous experience, if a play structure is maintained
properly on an annual basis, it should last for at least 20 years. This is consistent with
commercially manufactured play equipment. (This play structure would be incorporated
into our new weekly playground inspection program.)
Leathers and Associates has provided a complete maintenance manual to assist in this
process, and estimates an annual average cost of $2,000-$3,000 for maintenance
supplies. Annual maintenance includes:
. Wood sealing (approximately 25 gallons of sealant required)
. Inspecting and replacing worn moving parts
. Topping off surfacing material (wood fiber)
The most common way for a community built play structure to be maintained long-term
is to have a volunteer committee stay active after the build date. In some cities, this
committee becomes a "Friends of the Park" group, while others there is simply a
playground committee. Typically, the volunteer committee plans one weekend each year
where the structure is inspected, repairs made, and re-stained. Shakopee's committee
has indicated an interest in staying active after the build.
Finally, the design of the playground has a revenue stream built in. The storefronts are
sold to local businesses for a five-year period. At the end of the five year period, the
storefronts can be repurchased by the existing business, or sold to another business. If a
committee stays active, they could assume this role of managing the store fronts.
Finally, the structure has the ability to undergo renovations, rebuilds, and facelifts, which
is unique to this type of play structure.
Temporary Roadway and Parking
As we discussed at the July 19 City Council meeting, the delay in the feasibility study for
the roadways and parking lots will require temporary facilities in order for the playground
build to occur this fall. Stuart Krahn from Bonestroo has provided the attached layout for
the temporary parking, roadway, and playground construction staging area.
Based on the amo.unt of gravel needed for these areas (892 tons), we are estimating the
cost of materials to be approximately $5,300, which would be funded from the Huber
Park project budget. Public Works would cover the costs for hauling and spreading the
gravel as part of their operating budget. We also anticipate being able to reuse
approximately 70% of the gravel in the remainder of the park project as the base
material for the trails, thus ultimately costing around $1,590 for the temporary lots.
Remaining Fill
To date, we estimate that 30,493 yds3 of material has been added to the park, at a cost
of $12,342. That's an exceptional value thanks to Engineering's assistance and
participation in the project. 1,500 yds3 of fill is needed for the playground area to meet
approved grades. An additional -17,500 yds3 of fill is needed for the remainder of the
park.
The city has a CUP for up to 91,000 yds3 of fill. However, the final site plan required far
less than the permitted amount. In 2003, City Council authorized the fill process to meet
the required grades and an estimated $25,000 for the cost. We will need to bring in the
1,500 yds3 for the playground now under the previous approval and funding, and we are
working with Engineering to identify potential sources.
Finally, Bonestroo is developing the detailed final grading plan that will finalize the
remaining fill amounts. Once we have that complete, the Lower Minnesota Watershed
District asked for final review, which we have asked'to schedule at their August meeting.
We will be bringing that plan forward to you with the final construction documents for the
park.
REQUESTED ACTION
If City Council concurs, motion to:
1. Authorize the Community Built Playground Committee to proceed with the
playground plans and construction in Huber Park as identified in the site plan.
2. Authorize construction of a temporary parking, construction staging area, and
parking area with funding from the Huber Park project budget and work by Public
Works.
Play~
Build
Great KIDS!
I . Je>i Bui ld !
maSln~- - - n - - -
>-----
. I:
- ~ ~ ')':"''''"'J ' J
P~_"me:.. 1"'V\t'l'ttR.G..~ ' ~~~/'~
.' f
J.J V
! ~ '. ,
1
\
~1<eM""t(. "1'1! I'LAA !
~AI<OPe.e:. COMM.<.I..IT'l' ,,"VI,-.,. ,
{N l"tUe"e.,R; p..._K.
r:.l'\,A"t<,OP'I't.t't;. I M.~ W-NS~"'" (,
...1e:.HW oaAH \f}.~tt..e+
uu.,."Mu:,,,, N-tt> ~S_$fX... t:.,~~ M """-
I I".' ..... ._~_.
1lmNfl1I... __<II _w_....
...... ...-.............
<<
~
:...J flY tOIl
teM6 ,. . III
//. /~//,
//' ,,/' / ,//
, ,/ -' //, /
~ /" I
~
/
--......./ /
3E11!r1
EIl!l'l
-~--~
~
~ '0' 20' 40'
SICALE: ,". 2f1
LEATHERS & ASSOCIATES
Design for Community Built Playgrounds
Fall/Winter 2004 Volume XIV, No. 1
Eve ry Child's Playground
In October 2003, Cincinnati completed a commu-
nity-built playground at Sawyer's Point Riverboat
Park that is 100% accessible-hence the name Ev-
ery Child's Playground. The all-plastic playground
is the 6th 1000 Hands proj ect in Cincinnati, each one
built in a different neighborhood. The Ohio Parks &
RecreationAssociation awarded its 2003 Facility De-
velopmentAward to the project. The award is based
on several criteria, including overall impact of the
finished project to the community and best use of
community and corporate resources. The fact that
monies are raised and the project is built and planned
by volunteers were other deciding factors. It is a Overview - All Children's Playground, Cincinnati, OH
real honor to be voted the best in the state. The
award was presented at the OPRA Conference in
February.
The Inclusion Network also honored the project with its annual Outstanding Contribution to the Community Award. This
award is given to the organization in greater Cincinnati that best understands that by including people with disabilities in all life
activities, we are all enriched. The 1000 Hands "Every Child's Playground" and its theme of "Believing That Everyone
Belongs" best demonstrates the value and beauty of participating together.
Rubber surfacing and integrated equipment Inside. . .
Newsletter Is Emailed only.... Project Profile: Memorial Playgrounds 2
Our newsletters will be emailed to all of the GCs and owners of past projects. GC Spotlight: Jim Orr, Asheville, NC 3
You will also find it posted on our website (www.1eathersassociates.com). We Maintenance Updates & Reminders 4-5
Parks & Recreation Directors 6
will no longer mail hard copies. Any changes to your email address should be Awards 7
sent to Barb Dominie (bdominie@leathersassociates.com). You can also up- Rebuilds & Renovations 8
date owner information by sendin an email to Barb.
Ben's Red Swings, Salisbury, Maryland
Ben's Red Swings was completed in May 2004 adjacent to the Salisbury Zoo
in Salisbury, Maryland. Chris and Hendrika Layton served as co-general coor-
dinators (with Stacey Weisner). The playground is in memory of their son,
Benjamin, who died at the age of 4 after a two-year battle with leukemia. The
theme ofthe playground is based on Ben's wishes to have red wings in heaven.
The all-plastic playground was built using FibreForce structural plastic and Trex
composite lumber for decking, balusters, and handrails. All of the apparatus
(slides, swingseats, post caps, etc.) were specially ordered in red. The pavilion
and tower roofs were constructed of red metal. Components include an el-
evated nest and a Chesapeake Bay skipjack complete with mast.
Foster's Place, Georgetown, Colorado
In September 2004, Foster's Place was constructed in memory ofF oster Knox
Alspaugh who died in Spring 2003, a few weeks before his 3rd birthday. Foster's
mother, Kimberly Knox, served as general coordinator for the project, which
replaced an aging city playground. Foster's Place answers the needs of kids of
all ages and meets all safety and accessibility standards. The playground in-
cludes a wheelchair-accessible treehouse that is accessed over a suspension
bridge and poured-in-place rubber surfacing. Because Foster loved trains, the
Tot Lot theme is trains, complete with a caboose for his sister. There are his-
torical facades based on the mining, Victorian nature of old Georgetown. The
rock climbing wall includes a Rocky Mountain mural.
Annie's Playground at Edgeley Grove Farm,
Fallston, MD
Another memorial playground is currently in progress. Annie's Playground is in
memory of 6-year-old Annie McGann Cumpston, who was hit and killed by a
drunk driver as she was leaving the circus with her family. More than 1,500
children participated in the October 2004 Design Day. The playground will
include a treehouse, amphitheather/outdoor classroom, puppet theater, dragon,
courtyard and memorial garden.
Moss Beach Park, Moss Beach, CA
In October, the community of Moss Beach completed their playground which
included a lighthouse in memory of a young boy, Ambrose King. The light-
house was designed to reflect the local lighthouse and included a special rotat-
ing light in the peak. A statue of Ambrose and a memorial bench greet visitors
at the entrance to the park.
EI Paso, Texas, built a project in October that includes a memorial
garden with raised beds, a gazebo, and stone and trellis work.
Birmingham, Michigan, will also include a memorial garden for
Allie Cibulas, who died of brain cancer at the age of 4.
THERS Br ASSOCIATES
Jim Orr
Superintendent of Parks and Public Facilities
Asheville, North Carolina
Jim Orr first got involved in community-built projects in a roundabout way. In 1999, the Jones School in Asheville worked with
Leathers on a playground. The school required the Parks and Recreation Department to help with the project and maintain the
playground for the first five years. At the beginning, Orr felt "sucked in." But the success of the Jones project and the build
week motivated the department to organize two more community-built playgrounds. "The community spirit was incredible,"
says Orr. "The playground brought the community together in a whole new way. It was hard work, but personally rewarding
and one of the more fulfilling projects I've ever completed."
Orr headed up the steering committee as the general
coordinator of the next three Asheville projects. For each
of the first two builds, the department partnered with
different nonprofit groups. The nonprofits helped with
funding and coordinating the volunteer process. More
than 1,000 volunteers turned out to build the playgrounds
as well as donating the use of their tools.
In November 2000, the city partnered with Quality For-
ward, a subsidiary of Keep America Beautiful, to build
the Royal Pines playground. Then in the Spring of200 1,
they partnered with RiverLink and built the French Broad
River Park playground at a closed NASCAR track. The
French Broad River Park playground is part of the
riverfront development. The development's first phases
included parking, restrooms, walking trails, a gazebo, and a dog park. The 32-acre speedway property was bought by three
anonymous donors and given back to the city. The infield ofthe old speedway includes the playground, volleyball courts (sand
and grass), an in-line hockey rink, and full-length basketball courts. The track itself has been refurbished for use by roller-
bladers, cyclists, andjoggers.
Jim is also the GC ofthe most recent community-built project, built April 28 - May 2,2004. In this case, it is entirely a city
project. The playground is in Greenfield Park, a new 1 OS-acre city park along the river. A large portion ofthe playground was
funded through a matching-fund grant. During Hurricane Ivan in September, the playground was under 6 feet of flood water.
Once the water receded, "not one picket was broken." Jim reported that the playground was 100% intact. However, the turf
from the adjoining soccer field had been deposited in the center ofplaygeround!
The Asheville Department of Parks and Recreation has a city-wide volunteer program. "Once people have volunteered, they
are more apt to volunteer again," says Orr. People who worked at the Jones playground then volunteered at Royal Pines and
the speedway playground. A family with two sons who live across the street from the Royal Pines playground took over the
groundcover portion of the playground right from the start, and they still care for it. The family was named Volunteers of the
Year in 2002.
IVIAI ~TEI\lf\I\IIE lJPIJATES &i REIVIII\I IJERS
Sand and Seal
Organize a community group for a work day or weekend to sand and seal your playground. Power wash the structure first if
necessary. Trex, which may have been used for decking and handrails, does not need to be sealed. In fact, the
appearance is better if the sealer is not applied to or dripped on the Trex.
We recommend Deck & Shake sealer. It's very effective, easy and safe to use. Find out more
on our website (www.leathersassociates.com). Click on Materials, then Sealer.
If you' d like to consider converting your wood decking and handrails to Trex (a wood
polymer composite made from reclaimed plastic and wood), please call our office and
we will help you with the process. Trex can also be used as picnic table tops and
seats as well as bench seats and backs.
Long-Term Care Services
As part of our basic services for long-term care, we offer unlimited phone support, a Long-Term Care Packet (see below),
newsletters and website updates, all free of charge.
We offer a detailed safety audit/maintenance inspection. This service includes a safety audit and appropriate updates to
current safety guidelines and standards as well as "how to" recommendations that are complete with documenting photo-
graphs and details for you to correct any problems. This is a fee-based service; call our office for details.
Once an inspection has been conducted and problem areas identified, communities have several options available to correct
those problems. Some communities choose to complete all of the repairs on their own, working with volunteers as well as
employees of the town or school where the project is located. Some choose to have Leathers' consultants come in to work
with community members during this process. Last Spring, Nanuet; NY, completed an extensive update of its playground in
response to our safety audit. Brigantine, NJ; Wolfeboro, NH; Madison, AL; and Lewes, DE also recently organized volunteer-
built renovations based on our inspections of their projects.
Check the Groundcover Level
It is very important for children's safety that the groundcover be kept at the proper depth. Engineered wood fiber must be
routinely raked and additional material added every couple of years to maintain the proper depth, which is 12 inches (when
compacted) throughout the playground. Your groundcover supplier must certify that its product has passed required tests for
both impact attenuation and accessibility. Call our office if you need the names of approved suppliers.
For those older projects that have sand or pea stone surfacing, you also need 10 to 12 inches under all equipment. Pea stone
will "hard pan" and therefore needs to be roto-tilled to keep it loose and able to cushion landing from dall. This should be done
on a yearly basis. Regular raking and the addition of some new material will be necessary almost every year.
For unitary surfaces, such as poured-in-place and rubber tile systems, wear spots, surface peeling, and debris in joints are
typical problems. For detailed maintenance information, call the manufacturer of your surface.
Check Moving Parts
. Swings, pyramid apparatus, suspension bridges, chain climbers, rings, and vertical tire tunnels should be checked
regularly.
. Connections such as S-hooks and bolts will open or loosen with daily use. (We can show you how to retro-fit your
swings and ring bridges to replace all S-hooks with new clevis connectors. If you're interested, call us toll-free at 1-
877-JOINING for details.)
. Chain will stretch and all metal hardware will rust or wear from exposure, abrasion and loads over time.
. Check for protrusions, sharp edges or pinch points.
. Assure that all swing seats, tires, and rubber hoses are in good condition.
Friends of the Park
Leathers & Associates recommends that a Friends of the Park (FOTP) committee be formed to help monitor and maintain
playgrounds. Community service organizations, senior citizens, families and youth groups can all contribute to keeping the
playground safe and enjoyable. Having a volunteer FOTP group work with parks and recreation or school district profession-
als has been the most successful combination for our playgrounds.
Our Long-Term Care Packet
We give out several copies of our Long-Term Care Packet to our projects during construction week. However, over time,
they disappear or eventually become outdated~ Remember that maintenance is the key to ensuring the longevity and safety of
your project. If you'd like a new copy of the packet, please call our office.
Out and About
Look for Leathers & Associates in the following places:
. Leathers & Associates was included in the March 2004 issue of Parks & Rec Business magazine.
. "Work Now; Play Later" in the April issue of Kiwanis magazine, profiles the planning of the Kiwanis Adventure
Park Club in Orleans, Ontario, Canada. The local Kiwanis Club is spearheading a project scheduled to design in 2004
and build in 2005.
. Designer Dennis Wille made a presentation entitled "Community Built: It's for the Children" at the 2004 Children's
Play: Learn.ing from the Past, Planning for the Future triennial conference ofIPAlUSA (The American Association
for the Child's Right to Play). '
. After a successful trip to the NRPA show in 2003, we exhibited again this October at the 2004 NRPA Congress &
Exposition in Reno, Nevada.
. Look for new playground projects that "sprung up" this year in the following states: Alabama, California, Florida,
Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico,
North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. And we're
busily scheduling projects for 2005, when we'll build our first community-built playground in the United Kingdom!
Parks & Rec Director - General Coordinator
- Carson Lvnch. Director of Parks and Recreation in Moore. Oklahoma (Spring 2000): On May 3, 1999, Moore, Okla-
homa, was hit by the most powerful tornado ever recorded on earth, and large portions of the city were destroyed. As the
city struggled to recover and rebuild, the momentum gathered to bring the community together to build the playground
(including a tornado slide). The playground committee was made up of Lynch as general coordinator, an associate pastor,
a teacher, a banker, a tech center representative, three City Council members, and many other community members. The
contractor who was hired to clean up Moore after the tornado donated $100,000 toward the project.
Barry Dodd. Director of Parks and Recreation in Fairfield. Iowa (Spring 2000): "I have been a Parks and Recreation
director for 18 years in Iowa and Missouri, and the Leathers playground we built is by far the safest playground I've
seen," says Dodd. He acted as general coordinator, and his committee was comprised of several community members,
the parks superintendent, and the recreation superintendent, who headed up childcare. The materials and safety require-
ments met all federal guidelines, and accessibility was also an important consideration. "Personally, it was a remarkable
experience. For most of the process, I was concentrating on the details of completing the playground, but when the
children rushed out to play on Sunday evening, it was overwhelming. It is a large playground, which requires a bit more
maintenance. But the benefits far outweigh the extra time. We check it regularly and seal the playground annually. Parks
& Rec partners with volunteers from the community."
Tim Sweezey. Director of Parks and Recreation in Pell City. Alabama (Fall 200 1 ): "Our playground was built in October
2001 and framed around the events of September 11. The project provided an outlet for the community's anxiety. The end
result was a renewed volunteer spirit. We were very involved in Toys for Tots this year, which reflects back on the
playground build." Pell City now holds many special events at the 6S-acre park (which also includes a walking track, and
baseball, softball, football, and soccer fields), such as a "fun run" and an Easter egg hunt. The children of Pell City
recently participated in a contest to design a new logo for the Pell City Parks and Recreation Department. "We just chose
the final logo, which is a mix of the playground and sports," said Sweezey. "One child's logo described Parks and Rec as
the heart of the community."
Jud Foster. Director of Parks and Recreation in Norman. Oklahoma (Spring 1999): Foster acted as co-general coordi-
nator with a landscape architect graduate student at Oklahoma University. "We have one full-time employee who is
responsible for all of our playgrounds," says Foster. "There are about 3S playgrounds in S3 parks, and he checks each one
at least once a week. The Leathers' playground hasn't proven to be any more difficult to maintain than the other play-
grounds. Norman has an Adopt a Park Program. Two groups have adopted this playground. Our volunteers coordinator
on the build, ZenaAmer, works at the local tech center. Her class applies sealer annually. Oklahoma University is here in
town. The students have a "big event" each year where they volunteer in the community. OU students seal it 6 months
after the tech center students, so it is sealed twice a year. Our department just buys the sealer."
Wayne Lurix of the Cincinnati Recreation Commission (1998. 1999. 2000. 200 1. 2002. 2003): Lurix has acted as general
coordinator for six projects, one each year beginning in 1998. Life Success Seminars has also been involved in each
playground (the same people are construction captains every year), and there has been strong, steady corporate support
from General Electric, Home Depot, Jergens, and several other corporations. His sixth playground is at a premier park
destination-Sawyer Point in the waterfront district. All of the Cincinnati playgrounds are accessible, but the playground
at Sawyer Point is entirely accessible. "Disabled children only want to be able to play alongside their counterparts and be
treated like other children. This playground provides that kind of play experience," says Lurix. (See the GC profile in our
Spring 2001 newsletter for a complete profile ofLurix.)
AWARDS
Australia Playground Wins Award
Adventure Playground in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, Australia won the 2003
Sport & Recreation Industry Community Facility Design Award. The award
aims to stimulate the sport and recreation industry to adopt innovative prac-
tices that will lift overall performance and the quality of services it pro-
vides. When he accepted the award, co-general coordinator Michael Tudball
thanked the entire community. "With a municipal population of27,000 and
about 15,000 in Bacchus Marsh, getting 2,500 volunteer workers was a
fantastic result."
Napa's Playground Fantastico
Matt Eisenberg, general coordinator of the Playground Fantastico project
in Napa, California, recently received the Shining Star Award, presented
by the Mayor. The award celebrates volunteerism, public art, and children.
Matt's award is in recognition of all the volunteer hours he spent coordinat-
ing the project that culminated in a community-built playground and public arts space in May 2002.
10th Anniversary Parties
Waterloo, IA
On May 11, Waterloo, Iowa, held a 10th anniversary party for its Eagle Island playground at Edison Elementary School. Cake
and juice were served to commemorate 10 years since the day that construction began in 1994.
Maintenance on the playground has become an annual tradition, too. During the same week each year, students work hard to
help preserve the wooden structure. They coat the wood with sealer and haul and spread wood chips around the equipment.
Three teachers (Bonnie Dunham, Elaine Eggers, and Jan Wolf) planted the seeds of the playground project in 1993. They
wrote grants and enlisted the help of civic organizations, local businesses, Partners in Education, and the Parent Teacher
Organization. "The Leathers firm said we'd probably get 20 years out ofthis playground if we take care ofit," says Eggers.
"There is some wear and tear, but after 10 years it is still a sound structure."
Valparaiso, IN
On September 16, Valparaiso, Indiana, celebrated the 1 Oth anniversary of Valplayso Park. The structure was resealed and
new mulch laid in preparation for the celebration and rededication. The event also served as a kickoff to the Friends of the
Park annual fundraising campaign.
During the celebration, Mayor Jon Costas, who was also on the original playground committee, said "Valplayso is all that is
good in Valparaiso." A bronze statue at the entrance was dedicated to Art and Irene Malasto, who coordinated the project. "It
was purposely inclusive," he said, involving schools, businesses, government and nonprofit organizations and in the process
gave city residents pride and a feeling of ownership. "That's what made it so powerful."
Many residents didn't realize that it was the Valparaiso Parks and Recreation Foundation, now also known as Friends of the
Park, that raised the $120,000 for the project. That's OK, said foundation president Julia Hess. "The goal of the parks
foundation is to make things appear and turn them over to the parks department."
Rebuilds, Renovations,
F ace lifts and Repairs
Several projects scheduled maintenance inspections and safety audits during
the past year. As a result, many of our past projects completed work on their
playgrounds:
. Brigantine. New Jersey, which was built in 1998, held a three-day work
weekend with volunteers in June to complete maintenance work and
safety-related repairs.
. Volunteers in, Wolfeboro. New Hampshire, renovated their 1991 play-
ground in response to an audit and meet-
ings with our staff. The playground was re-
designed to be more age-appropriate for the
younger children who are currently using
it. In the process, it was made more acces-
sible.
. In October, Lewes. Delaware, completed re-
pairs to its ten-year-old playground.
. Mobile. Alabaml!, recently added swings to
their heavily used year-old playground.
. Madison. Alabama, replaced a portion ofits
1996 playground that was damaged by fire.
At the same time, the community decided to
add a rock wall, dolphin and mister.
. Tragically, a substantial portion of the two-
year-old Tri-Cities. Washington playground
was destroyed by an arson fire. The community rallied together, turning out more than 2,000 volunteers to rebuild it bigger and
better than ever.
Happy Holidays!
Best Wish.,
Leath..s & Associates Staff
0
\J~~ /5', ~ _?-.
Huber Park Update: 65 Davs to Build Week
July 28, 2005
Oraanizational Dav: A series of all day meetings design to gauge where we are and
where we need to go. Michael Cohen for Leathers & Associates was in town to brief us
for our final push- just 65 day left to Build Day.
The playground area, temporary parking lots and staging areas are now staked out at
Huber Park. Grade levels, additional fill, temporary power needs and the location of the
various aspects of Build Week were all discussed and reviewed this morning at the site in
Huber Park.
Following our site review we began our detailed discussion about each and every
committee. This included the following, committee's notes and comments on what more
is needed.
1. Maior Fund Raisina: to date $82,000 of $140,000.
Much more major donations needed, including store fronts, picket fence pickets.
All most to our goal. Lets Get'r Done.
2. Volunteers: Committee Heads in place. With exception of Materials Committee
Head and Donated Materials. We need more general volunteers i.e. 100 per shift, 300
per day. Every day of the Week - Oct 4-9. Please send names, numbers, e-mail, shift
availability and skill level. This is a major Need People make this happen.
3. Tools: Very good start. Need 2-4 more people on this committee.
4. Proiect Manaaer: Very good start. Site prep, layout, grading, utilities and staging
all set. Need strong Captains Heads under Manager.
5. Child Care: Good Start. Need quality site and 3-4 more people to help our chair.
6. Food Committee: Chair in place, not able to attend. Needs to get going.
Feed 100 people 2 times a day for 3 days. 250-300 people 2 times a day for 2 days.
This works out to be about 1000-1500 people taking part in this event.
7. Children's Committee: Good Start. Generated good ideas to get our children
involved.
8. Public Relations: Good Start. Discussed Sign, Fliers, newspaper and radio ads ect.
Need more effort here. We will have a major project sign "Future Home of" type of
sign, that will be placed at the intersection of Hwy 101 and Sommerville St in the next 2
weeks. Please look for it.
Only 65 days left.
#
,.
10. Field Captains: 10 people all day every day. Need committed people here.
All in all the day went very well. We are on our final push to get this done.
If any of you want to help, and lor know of people that want to help, we need them to sign
up ahead of the build date. This is easy, just e-mail Lauri Glenn ralenn@.mn.rr.com ,
please include names, phone number, e-mail address, skilled or general and shift
availability.
If you would like to discuss financial donations call on me.
Thanks again for all that you have done for the playground to date.
Again much more work needs to be done, please feel free to help some more. This
project is truly something Very Special
Sincerely,
Bill Mars
Chair Major Donor Committee
Huber Park Community Playground
Check out our web site
www.shakopeedtp.org
Sign up to Volunteer
playground@shakopeedtp.org
Imagine Join Build