Story posted Thursday, February 4, 2010
Parks Seek Input On New Play Equipment
The Arlington Hts. Park District is replacing two aging playgrounds.
A public hearing on the new playgrounds at Wildwood and Rand-Berkley parks will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11 at Camelot Park Community Center, 1005 E. Suffield Dr. The park district is looking for input on what types of playground elements should be included in the designs.
Park Planner Stephanie Croegaert said both playgrounds were about 15 years old and no longer met safety standards because of their age according to ASTM, a standards organization originally known as the American Society for Testing and Materials.
"We try to keep them up to date so it stays up to safety standards," Croegaret said of the district's playgrounds.
Both parks will continue to cater to their respective age groups, she said. That means Wildwood Park will remain a smaller playground for 2-5 year olds while the two playgrounds at Rand-Berkley will be combined into one playground serving 2-12 year olds.
Croegaret said the park district would use the public input to get designs from vendors. Another public meeting will be held on Thursday, Feb. 25 to select the design.
Smaller playgrounds like the one planned for Wildwood Park typically cost between $40,000 and $60,000, Croegaret said. Larger ones with more upper body equipment and taller slides, like at Rand-Berkley Park, can cost between $70,000 and $100,000.
The board will have to approve the expense in April.
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