The Oregon-Davis PTA will soon be raising funds to update the Elementary School playgrounds. Some funds were raised for the first phase of the playground project, but more money will need to be gathered for the second phase next year.
Committee Member Stephanie Ferch told the Oregon-Davis School Board members Monday night that a committee of six people came together to look at the project and decide how to move forward with creating safer, cleaner environments for the Elementary students to play.
At this time, funding will allow playing surface upgrades in the first phase to take place this summer with one piece of new equipment at each playground in the second phase in 2023.
Ferch explained that this year, the removal of old sidewalk and the installation of new sidewalks will take place which will be paid for out of the building maintenance budget. The rest would be paid for out of playground funds. The project also includes regrading and placing mulch in areas where a rubberized surface will be poured in the future. The basketball courts will be resurfaced with new basketball goals, and the swings will be repainted and relocated. Quotes are still being collected concerning the removal of the swings and sandblasting and power coating.
The cost of the first phase is about $86,500 at this point and there is a project budget of $130,000.
Ferch commented that the second phase tentatively scheduled for next year will include new equipment. A climbing web is included in preliminary plans, as well as an activity court, playground markings, new swings, Kindergarten cabins, Kindergarten swirls, and a rubberized surface. She noted that a local patron has offered to build the cabins which could be installed this summer.
There are a couple of other features being considered, according to Ferch.
“We’ve talked about putting a 400 meter walking track out there so we could do fundraisers or Relay for Life type stuff,” stated Ferch. “The kids could use it. The teachers could use it. We’ve talked about putting in an outdoor classroom or pavilion. Again, that might come out of playground fundraising or it could potentially come out of COVID/outdoor classroom money.”
Grants could be obtained to purchase the rubberized surface that is preferred, but about $100,000 is being sought in fundraisers to make the second phase of the playground project a reality. Ferch said fundraisers are in the planning stages and efforts will be made to collect money throughout the 2022-2023 school year to finalize the project.
The board members thanked the committee for their hard work in putting the plans together and for the presentation Monday night. More information will be available about the project soon.
