BY DANI TIETZ
dani@mahometnews.com
Mahomet Parks and Recreation Director Dan Waldinger asked the Village Board of Trustees to approve $26,000 for playground equipment at Brooks-Warfel Park located at 405 E. Dunbar St. on July 16, 2019.
The Village board approved the request on July 23.
Known as Mahomet’s “toddler park”, the park includes baby and regular swings, a digger and a couple toddler-sized slides.
Waldinger said the equipment was installed in 1994. The life span of playground equipment is usually 15-20 years.
“It’s tired. It’s worn out,” he said. “When pieces break, it is hard to find (replacements) and when you do, it’s pretty expensive.”
The playground renovation was already approved through the Village 2019-20 budget process.
In planning for the renovation, Waldinger said that staff wanted to maintain the focus of providing a playground for children ages 2-5 while also incorporating some new, modern amenities.
Moving from a tan structure to a blue, the park will include a merry-go-round, a digger, a parent-and-me swing, a facelift to the swingset, slides and a “storefront” feature underneath the structure.
Waldinger said the project will actually cost the Village $24,093.10, but the measure passed was not to exceed $26,000.
The installation of playground equipment will be Phase I of the project. Phase II will include adding mulch, a new border and doing landscaping work. Waldinger said he was planning on reaching out to the Mahomet Lions Club to see if they would help clean up the pavilion structure, which they donated to the park.
Trustee Andy Harpst asked about accessibility for children with disabilities.
“There are several features and activities that are ground-level,” Waldinger said.
He continued to say that amenities such as the merry-go-round, storefront and parent-and-me swing would be accessible with assistance.
Waldinger said the Village hopes to build the structure with volunteers and staff. Bridle Leash and Brent Johnson Park were also built with Scout volunteers.
The timeline on the park is the middle to the end of September.
