City posts 10 playground design options for McMillan Mesa and seeks neighborhood input

Flagstaff Parks and Recreation staff said Dec. 15 that the city has posted 10 playground design proposals for the McMillan Mesa Neighborhood Park and is asking residents to help choose a preferred design.

Staff said the project is funded through the Bed, Board and Beverage (BBB) recreation allocation and that the department routinely receives $150,000 annually to replace aging playground structures. Procurement contacted six vendors and received five positive responses; each vendor submitted two designs, for a total of 10 proposals. The designs are displayed on the city’s engagement platform where residents can rate each option on a five‑star scale and leave comments.

"We sent mailers to roughly 570 homes and contacted apartment complexes and local schools to encourage participation," staff said. As of the meeting staff reported about 65 responses; voting closes this Friday. Staff said pricing is unbundled so the selection can be driven by community preference rather than vendor identity, and the contract and council process will follow after internal review.

If the procurement and contracting schedule proceeds as planned, staff expects installation in spring pending council approvals and procurement timelines.

The commission praised the outreach approach and discussed using the engagement platform for future projects. Staff said they will review votes and public comments and return to the commission with results for final steps toward contractor selection and installation.