Hartford staff recommend Lee Recreation playground at Independence Park; $100,000 purchase plus $20,000 extras

Parks and Recreation staff recommended selecting Lee Recreation’s Burke playground proposal for Independence Park and requested authorization of $120,000 total—$100,000 for the play equipment and an additional $20,000 for an extra piece of equipment and wood fiber surfacing. The executive summary explains the current 25‑year‑old playgrounds have sustained failures and that Independence Park is one of the city’s busiest sites. Staff said donations totaling $100,000 have been secured to cover the equipment cost and proposed using a mix of Park Fund Balance and GO debt for the remainder.

The staff packet lists multiple vendor proposals. Lee Recreation submitted two Burke options and priced one at $100,000 (Proposal 142‑221865‑1‑R2); Gerber Leisure submitted a lower equipment subtotal in one quote but with additional surfacing and site preparation options. Staff recommended the Lee Recreation Burke configuration because it "offers more play options than the other choices and best utilizes the available space," and advised adding $20,000 for chips and an extra unit. The recommendation includes a project funding plan in the 2027 CIP with $50,000 in Park Fund Balance and $50,000 in GO debt; staff noted $100,000 in donations were obtained for the equipment.

If the Council approves, staff expect a lead time of roughly 6–9 weeks from order and advised that site preparation, marking private utility lines, and removal of existing equipment are the customer’s responsibilities unless alternates are authorized. The packet lists alternates for timbers and engineered wood fiber surfacing with specific cost options. Park Director Randy Wojtasiak appears as the staff contact for questions about design and installation.