Title
Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Purchase and Install Playground Equipment and Safety Surfacing from GameTime for Woodstock Park in an Amount Not To Exceed $260,000; and
Adoption of Resolution Amending the Recreation Fund and Capital Improvement Fund Budget for Fiscal Year 2016-17. (Recreation and Parks 280-5110).
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jill Keimach, City Manager
Re: Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Purchase and Install Playground Equipment and Safety Surfacing from GameTime for Woodstock Park in an Amount Not To Exceed $260,000; and Adoption of Resolution to Amend the Recreation Fund and Capital Improvement Fund Project 91621 Fiscal Year 2016-17 Budget.
BACKGROUND
Woodstock Park has a long history of use that spans from a private land owner to a trailer park for civilian defense workers during World War II and then a public park. In 1954, the West Alameda Association, with support of the Recreation Commission, advocated for a public park on the site and the city purchased the property at below market rate. Woodstock Park was built in stages and completed in 1973. The park includes a recreation center, picnic areas, two playgrounds and a lighted softball field.
The Alameda Recreation and Park Department has an Annual Playground Replacement Program (Program) in which Longfellow Park playground was replaced in 2015 and Godfrey Park playground was replaced in 2016. This Program replaces one park playground each year with the oldest playgrounds replaced first, some of which are over 20 years old. The design for each playground is unique with community input. The playground safety surfaces are changed from the existing wood fiber to poured-in-place rubber surfacing when financially feasible. This program brings Alameda playgrounds up to current ADA and safety requirements in addition to decreasing annual maintenance costs. A different theme is incorporated into each of our playgrounds.
DISCUSSION
The Alameda Recreation and Park Department (ARPD) solicited designs for the replacement of playground equipment and safety surfacing at Woodstock Park from three well-established playground companies: GameTime, NSP3, and Ross Recreation. Each company generated a design for the existing main play area with an aquatic theme as well as a separate play structure designed for 2-5 year olds to be constructed near the Recreation building that serves Tiny Tot programs.
Woodstock Park is a heavily utilized park with three charter schools using the park as their playground and field area for recess, lunch and Physical Education classes. These schools include Alameda Community Learning Center (ACLC), NEA Community Learning Center (NEA), and the Academy of Alameda (AoA). In addition, the Alameda Boys and Girls Club is located at this park and uses the playground, as well as ARPD Tiny Tot programs that occur daily throughout the school year and summer. Combined, these create a high demand on the playgrounds with several hundred children daily.
There are currently two playground areas at Woodstock Park (Exhibit 1). The playground closest to ACLC/NEA is situated across the property line of Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) and the City, so that half of the playground is on each agency’s property. The second playground area is on City property and is currently underutilized with a significant amount of space and very few playground components. With the high playground usage, it is extremely inefficient for park maintenance staff to manage both playgrounds as well as an increased financial burden for parts, supplies and wood fiber surfacing for two playgrounds. Combined, this totals more than $20,000 annually and will be reduced to $5,000 each year.
This project will remove the playground that is straddling the property lines and construct a larger playground area on City property that will serve the needs of all youth and residents using the playground. This strategy was developed through discussions with AUSD staff who confirmed that AUSD is not interested in keeping the playground that is partially on their property and prefers the City to remove it. There will be further discussions with AUSD on the future of that area. In the meantime, after the playground is removed, the area will be filled with wood mulch for safety. A smaller playground for 2 - 5 year olds will be built near the Woodstock Recreation Center to better serve the Tiny Tot programs. This separate playground will provide a more age appropriate play structure for these small children.
There was a significant community input process for this playground design. ARPD staff met with Alameda Boys and Girls Club participants to discuss the theme and their interests in playground components. An aquatic theme was identified because the Woodstock Park baseball league mascot is a seal, which is also incorporated into the design. These ideas were then included in the initial designs that were presented at a community meeting on December 1st, 2016. Notices were sent to residents that live within 300 feet of the park, as well as posted at the park and sent to the schools and Boys and Girls Club. Over 30 adults and children attended the meeting, including neighborhood residents, Tiny Tot program parents, and Boys and Girls Club participants.
All three designs were displayed and discussed. The public marked their overall favorite design proposal, their favorite elements, and gave specific comments on each design. It was clear from the public feedback that the GameTime design was preferred. ARPD staff then incorporated additional information from the meeting and made appropriate adjustments to the design based on staff feedback, budget constraints and maintenance requirements. The Recreation and Parks Commission approved and recommended the Woodstock Playground design as presented (Exhibit 1).
Two organizations have generously donated funding that made this playground project possible. The Alameda Friends of the Parks Foundation is donating $20,000 and is an annual supporter of the playground replacement program. The Alameda Rotary Club is donating $30,000 through a memorial grant program. ARPD is greatly appreciative of both community organizations.
The playground at Woodstock Park will be closed for two months during construction and is scheduled to be completed by June 2017 before the Alameda Recreation and Park Department’s summer programs begin.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The playground equipment and related safety surface is considered an equipment purchase eligible for procurement and installation through California Multiple Award Schedules (CMAS) and is considered a product that has already been publicly bid by the State. CMAS has ability to offer products and services at prices which have been assessed to be fair, reasonable and competitive. CMAS is a state purchasing agency, whose cooperative purchasing contracts have been competitively solicited so that government agencies can utilize their contracts meeting all state, local and federal public procurement requirements, including prevailing wage rates. All three bidding companies were pre-approved with pre-negotiated pricing with CMAS.
The funds for the Woodstock Park Playground Improvement Project are budgeted in the Capital Improvement Program Playground Replacement Project (91621) in an amount not to exceed $139,000. Staff is requesting to appropriate additional revenue as shown below to bring the total project budget to $269,000.
|
Fund/Account |
Project |
Amount |
|
Recreation Fund: |
|
|
|
Transfer Out |
|
$60,000 |
|
Capital Improvement Fund: |
91621 |
|
|
Transfer In |
91621 |
$60,000 |
|
Donations - Alameda Friends of the Parks Foundation |
91621 |
$40,000 |
|
Donations - Alameda Rotary |
91621 |
$30,000 |
|
Contractual Services |
91621 |
$130,000 |
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action has no effect on the Municipal Code.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The proposed project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15301, as it is a minor alteration of an existing facility involving negligible expansion of use.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation to authorize the City Manager to purchase and install playground equipment and safety surfacing from GameTime for Woodstock Park in an amount not to exceed $260,000; and adoption of resolution to amend the Recreation Fund and Capital Improvement Fund Project 91621 Fiscal Year 2016-17 Budget.
Respectfully submitted,
Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
By,
Dennis McDaniels, Recreation Services Specialist
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Elena Adair, Finance Director
Exhibit:
1. Woodstock Park Playground Design and Location
2. GameTime Contractor’s Agreement