Liberty Twp. hired the firm after an outcry from the public when it was announced in August the beloved playground would be torn down and replaced with a new structure. Safety concerns and the age of the equipment were cited.
The castle-themed park sits on 7.5 acres on Van Gorden Road, off Princeton Road. It opened in 1999 after dozens of community members spent six days, from sunup to 11 p.m., assembling the structure in a ‘community build’ overseen by Leathers.
“The playground has been well used over the years and is showing its age. Most of the main support posts are in fair condition. The framing is also in reasonable condition for its age,’’ the 54-page report said, adding the structure was already five years older than its projected useful life.
“Some of the equipment has some form of maintenance or safety non-compliance concerns.”
The report reviewed every component of the play structure, noting corrective actions needed, giving a letter grade to each on its overall condition.
For example, the train was given a D, saying it showed signs of excessive wear and tear, noting there were split and missing boards.
The report estimated a minor renovation could cost $65,000, if built under a community build model, taking five days. A major renovation could cost $232,000, also taking five days to construct, using the community build model.
Constructing a new playground – expected to last 30 or more years with minimal maintenance – was estimated at $365,000, and would take six days to put together with a community build. That cost was based on a similarly sized play space of about 9,600 square feet – the approximate size of the existing area.
Labor costs would add additional dollars if a community build wasn’t used. The prices didn’t include the cost of a rubberized surface.
“The playground is 25 years old so weighing the cost of renovations versus replacement should always be considered,” the report noted.
Services director Rick Plummer said Leathers said they could design a new playground that would look similar – ‘almost identical’ – to the existing castle-themed equipment. It would look like it was made from wood but actually a composite material would be used.
In a community survey, the top two concerns of residents, were that the structure retain its castle theme and that a rubberized surface be added, said Caroline McKinney, township administrator.
The playground – whether renovated or built new – would have to meet current standards of the Americans With Disabilities Act.
“So you’ll change some ramps. You’ll change some configurations in some way,’’ Plummer said.
Trustees said whatever is done, the cost should remain the same. The township has a $500,000 grant that has to be spent by June 2026 plus $335,000 the township had budgeted for the project.
The options and next steps will be further discussed during a budget work session tentatively set for noon Wednesday at township offices.
About the Author