Title
Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Purchase and Install Fully Inclusive Playground Equipment and Safety Surfacing from GameTime for Littlejohn Park in an Amount Not to Exceed $230,000; and
Adoption of Resolution Amending the Recreation Fund and Capital Improvement Fund Budget for Fiscal Year 2017-18 for the Project. (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 Fully Inclusive Playground Equipment and Safety Surfacing from GameTime for Littlejohn Park in an Amount Not To Exceed $230,000; and
Adoption of Resolution Amending the Recreation Fund and Capital Improvement Fund Budget for Fiscal Year 2017-18 for the Project
BACKGROUND
Littlejohn Park opened in 1976 as Buena Vista Park and in 1993 it was renamed in memory of Elector Littlejohn, a prominent member of the city’s African-American community (from Alameda at Play by Woody Minor). The park includes a recreation center, picnic areas, playground, basketball court and a baseball field. Alameda Recreation and Park Department (ARPD) has Tiny Tot programming at the recreation center and is home to Ala Costa Center, serving children with developmental disabilities.
In 2015, the ARPD implemented an Annual Playground Replacement Program in which one park playground is replaced each year, some of which are over 20 years old. The design for each playground is unique with community input. Themes have included trains, oceans, and a treehouse. Whenever financially feasible, the playground safety surfaces are changed from the existing wood fiber to poured-in-place rubber surfacing. This program brings Alameda playgrounds up to current ADA and safety requirements in addition to decreasing annual maintenance costs.
The Recreation and Parks Commission approved and recommended the Littlejohn Playground design as presented (Exhibit 1).
DISCUSSION
The ARPD secured two grants to finance the Littlejohn playground project. One is the State Department of Housing and Community Development - Housing Related Parks grant. The amount of this grant funding, totaling $124,310, is based on the number of affordable housing units permitted in the City of Alameda within a specific timeframe. Staff then utilized this grant as matching funds for the California Recreation and Parks Society (CPRS) - Healthy Play grant. The CPRS grant requires grantees purchase the playground equipment from GameTime, which then provides an equipment credit. The CPRS grant provides for a fully inclusive playground for children of all physical, socio-emotional and cognitive abilities to play together. The Littlejohn Park inclusive playground is vital because children with developmental and physical disabilities have higher obesity rates because it is more difficult for them to eat healthy, control their weight and be physically active due to medications, physical limitations, low energy and lack of accessible environments [Centers for Disease Control website]. A playground rich in sensory components and a range of physical skills will engage Ala Costa’s participants, children with physical disabilities, and all youth to play together. This will also include “2 Play Together” activity card signage to encourage and foster play between youth from the community, Tiny Tots, and Ala Costa programs to promote disability awareness, foster friendships and understanding.
Staff held a neighborhood meeting on October 25 and both parents and children provided valuable input based on the draft design. Notices were sent to residents that live within 300 feet of the park, as well as posted at the park. The ARPD Tiny Tots staff who utilize Littlejohn Park also reviewed and commented on the design as well as the Ala Costa staff. The design for review by the Recreation and Parks Commission incorporates all of this feedback as well as staff review for design flow and maintenance (Exhibit 1).
ARPD worked closely with GameTime to draft a playground design rich in sensory components, physical accessibility and stimulation. It incorporates all five elements of inclusive play: social/emotional, physical, sensory, cognitive, and communication. Play components include the rock'n’raft, which creates opportunities for social/emotional and sensory connections; drum music for communication and sensory-rich environment; many sensory components with textures through panels and gizmos; a wave climber; merry-go-all and ADA accessible spinning chair and ADA, tot, and child/parent swings. There are physical play activities to increase fine and gross motor skills as well as free standing activities and ramps for physical access. Together, this design encourages sensory and cognitive growth and stimulates meaningful interaction between children.
The safety surfacing will be rubberized poured-in-place material that is fully ADA accessible and will reduce park maintenance costs for refilling wood fiber by approximately $10,000 annually.
The CPRS grant also stipulates that this playground be a National Demonstration Site. ARPD staff is working with Ala Costa staff and implementing additional opportunities to collect both objective data and narrative stories on playground usage once it is open.
The Alameda Friends of the Parks Foundation is donating $20,000 and is an annual supporter of the playground replacement program. ARPD is greatly appreciative of this ongoing support.
The Littlejohn playground upgrades are scheduled to be completed by March 2018.
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 the 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 total cost for the Littlejohn Park Playground Improvement Project is estimated at $230,000. The CPRS - Healthy Play grant will provide a $74,500 direct credit against the cost of the project leaving $155,500 to be paid for with other revenue sources. The funds for the Littlejohn Park Playground Improvement Project are budgeted in the Capital Improvement Program Playground Replacement Project (91621) in an amount not to exceed $150,000. However, the State Department of Housing and Community Development - Housing Related Parks grant award was $26,000 less than what staff originally budgeted. As a result, a realignment of the funding is necessary to cover the cost of the playground purchase and installation. Staff is requesting to appropriate additional revenue as shown below to bring the total project budget to $155,500, net of direct CPRS grant credit.
|
Fund/Account |
Project |
Amount |
|
Recreation Fund: |
|
|
|
Transfer Out |
|
$11,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
Capital Improvement Fund: |
|
|
|
Transfer In |
91621 |
$11,500 |
|
Donations - Alameda Friends of the Parks Foundation |
91621 |
$20,000 |
|
Grant - Housing Related Parks Grant |
91621 |
($26,000) |
|
Contractual Services |
91621 |
$5,500 |
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
Authorize the City Manager to purchase and install playground equipment and safety surfacing from GameTime for Littlejohn Park in an amount not to exceed $230,000; and
Adopt resolution amending the Recreation Fund and Capital Improvement Fund Budget for Fiscal Year 2017-18.
Respectfully submitted,
Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Elena Adair, Finance Director
Exhibit:
1. Littlejohn Park Playground Design
2. GameTime Contract