Firm Recommended for Main Park Playground Work

Washington Parks Director Darren Dunkle is recommending the city contract with S. Bollinger & Associates to replace the playground surface at the Main Park on High Street.

The firm was the apparent low bidder, submitting a bid of $28,925 to replace the existing rubber surface, which doesn’t meet certain codes and is about 11 years old.

The old surface was removed in early January.

At Monday evening’s administration/operations committee meeting, the council agreed to forward an ordinance approving the contract to the May 7 council meeting.

Dunkle told the council that he called the firm’s references, who all said they were happy with the company’s work.

The bid by S. Bollinger & Associates is within Dunkle’s estimate for the work, which was between $23,000 and $35,000.

The playground work will be paid for out of the city’s half-cent capital improvement sales tax fund.

Earlier this month, council members approved reallocating a portion of funds for new restrooms to be used for the playground work as well as upgrades at the city pool.

The city had budgeted $100,000 for permanent restrooms at the east end of the Rotary Riverfront Trail in the half-cent capital improvement sales tax fund for 2012.

Both the council and park board agreed to postpone building the restrooms to address work needed at the playground and pool.

The playground at the Main Park has been temporarily closed since December, but a smaller playground at the Main Park is still open.

Bid notices were sent out to 17 vendors and five responded by the deadline, according to Dunkle.

Other bidders included:

AB Creative, $29,172; Spectra — Custom Property Solutions, $30,000; Cunningham Recreation, $30,530; and Fry & Associates, $43,132.