Service director Rick Plummer previously cited safety concerns about the structure, including rotting and splintering boards.
When trustees announced last August the playground would be torn down and replaced, community members protested and the plan was put on hold while trustees gathered more input, including a survey.
“What makes this unique is that fort,’’ said Trustee Tom Farrell.
The new structure will be designed to mirror the original playset as much as possible, but it will be constructed of a composite material with an expected lifespan of replaced of 30 or more years.
“I think they’ll be able to reproduce a lot of what’s there,’’ said Trustee Steve Schramm.
“We wanted a custom-designed playground. We’re not looking to just pick pieces out of a catalog,’’ said Caroline McKinney, township administrator.
“They know the square footage of what we’re looking to achieve…the theme, the kinds of equipment that we want in there. They’ve seen our survey.”
The playset will be constructed on the same site as the original playset – which will be removed — in an approximate area of 10,500 square feet. It will be built in compliance with standards of the Americans With Disabilities Act.
Under the agreement the township will supply six skilled workers that will be supervised by Leathers, who will also provide labor during construction.
The cost of the project is not to exceed $900,000, which includes $400,000 in township dollars, and a $500,000 grant that must be used by 2026. Not included in the cost is the poured rubber safety surface. That, along with demolition and site preparation work is the responsibility of the township.
Once design work is completed and approved, construction can begin and is estimated to take 6-8 weeks to complete. The project is expected to be completed this year.
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