2018-117 Playground Replacement PlanDate: September 7, 2018 Report No. 2018-117
INFORMAL STAFF REPORT
TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT:
The purpose of this report is to provide the City Council with details regarding the recently
completed Playground Replacement Plan (PRP).
BACKGROUND:
The Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) recently completed a PRP and are in the
processes of replacing a number of play structures with several more planned to be installed in
the future.
DISCUSSION:
In June, 2018, PARD completed an inventory and replacement plan for all playgrounds within
the Denton parks system. The PRP identifies when the playground was installed and when it
should be scheduled for replacement. The plan also tracks the cost of the structure when it was
installed along with a forecasted replacement cost when it exceeds its expected life span. This
projection uses a 3% cost inflator compounded annually as a way to anticipate future costs of the
playgrounds based on the projected replacement.
It was discovered during the creation of the plan that a number of play structures are well past
the 15 years useful life. While the 15 year life span is not a requirement for replacement, it is an
industry estimated term in which a playground typical begins to diminish in its structural
integrity and repair costs exceed its value. Based on wear and tear, some playgrounds need to be
replaced sooner than others due to varying degrees of usage, exposure to sunlight, or vandalism.
While replacement years are projected and flexible, staff has worked to program replacement
expenses distributed over the course of multiple years. The goal is to get the playgrounds on a
regular replacement schedule to ensure safety and assist in fiscal planning. A heat map style was
used to clearly identify playgrounds that are past the replacement timeframe (highlighted in red),
on schedule (highlighted in green) and structures that are anticipated (none) to be replaced earlier
than the 15 years (highlighted in blue). In addition, some playgrounds (highlighted in orange)
already have funding that has been identified. As you can see within the plan, 43% of all the
playgrounds within the park system (not including the structures that already are funded) have
exceeded the standard 15 year life span.
On July 17, at a City Council Work Session, Parks and Recreation was asked about the
possibility of donating playground equipment after it was removed for replacement. Staff
discussed this option along with Risk Management and the City Attorney’s Office and all agree
that this could be a liability issue for the City. In addition, the equipment would need to be
dismantled, free of all concrete without damage and parts organized in a manner that rebuilding
can be completed in a safe and organized process so it could be rebuilt by another entity.
Date: September 7, 2018 Report No. 2018-117
Fred Moore Park Playground – Coming in October 2018
Also, on July 17 at the regularly scheduled City Council meeting, a contract for the replacement
of three (3) playgrounds was approved. These playgrounds include Denia Park, Fred Moore
Park and Milam Park. Funding for theses playgrounds, plus others was approved in the 2014
Capital Improvement Program for a total of $890,000.
Additionally, a new playground will be installed as part of the G. Roland Athletics Complex. It
is anticipated that this project will be completed in March 2019.
Date: September 7, 2018 Report No. 2018-117
Finally, a Community Development Block Grant was recently released due to unallocated
funding availability. An application was submitted to Community Development for $217,923 to
replace play structures at Quakertown Park. Grants are expected to be awarded to the selected
projects this fall.
Existing Quakertown Park Playground
STAFF CONTACT:
Drew Huffman, Parks Superintendent
(940) 349-7464
Russell Koch, Parks Manager
(940) 349-8412