Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 09/08/2016

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Park and Recreation Commission 5. 1. Meeting Date: 09/08/2016 By: Mark Riverblood, Engineering/Public Works Information Title: Consider Policy for a Playground Replacement Schedule Purpose/Background: The City of Ramsey has 13 +municipal parks (neighborhood and community),with play equipment within them, and also other public locations like Rum River Central Park(Anoka Co. Parks) and the Ramsey Elementary School. The purpose of this case is to develop a general policy of a replacement schedule for the play structures in city parks. Attached is a 2007 map showing the distribution of the municipal playgrounds in Ramsey. (The 2014 play structure at Ehncrest Park is not identified on this map.) Notification: Observations/Alternatives: Over the recent decades,Ramsey has replaced many play structures in addition to the new ones installed as part of new park development. Central Park as an example had a new, albeit modest play structure(by today's standards) installed in 1989, and then replaced 8 years later in 1997—with the used play structure relocated to Autumn Heights Park(not shown on the playground map). Another community park,Rivers'Bend received a new playground in 1989,with a subsequent replacement 13 years later in 2002. A larger neighborhood park, Titterud Park had a new installation on 1986,and a replacement in 2007 or 21 years later. Generally,play equipment may be considered for replacement at some time after the equipment reaches 15 years of use. As indicated,the purpose of this case is to recommend to City Council a generalized policy or schedule to evaluate play equipment for replacement,and accordingly,what the cost implications would be. For the meeting, staff will have an exhibit showing the year play equipment was installed and/or updated. To best prepare for the policy discussion, staff recommends that Commissioners visit at least the following parks so as to be able to compare the different conditions of play equipment to one another—in relationship to a replacement policy. Those parks are: •Rabbit Park @ 17450 Rabbit Street NW •Ford Brook Park @ 5459 180th Avenue (not shown on the playground map) •Emerald Pond Park @ 6000 142nd Avenue Funding Source: The outcome of this case will have funding need implications. Recommendation: