Council approves new playground equipment for Sky River Park

The City of Monroe aims to have the new Sky River Park playground open by this summer.

The Monroe City Council approved nearly $343,600 in equipment purchases during last Tuesday’s meeting. The project is included in the park’s six-year master plan, and $350,000 was budgeted for use this year.

The new playground was designed to be ADA accessible, appeal to many age groups and incorporate elements of Sky River Park into its features, in alignment with suggestions from the Monroe Parks Board, according to the city. The former playground had been 25  years old. An open house for the community to add their own input was held at the end of January. 

“The ideas and conversations from the open house have added detail and nuance to the final play equipment design,” said Monroe Parks and Recreation director Mike Farrell.

The department has used experience from replacing the Lake Tye Park playground to shape this year’s process. The essence of the park was captured in the play area. There are trout, and a dock to play on, in honor of the 42-acre lake.

City Councilmember Jeff Rasmussen said he had been wondering how Farrell and his staff would represent the park this time. He said the trees and turf that resemble the surface of a baseball hit it spot on.

The city is again working with Everett-based Sitelines Park & Playground Equipment Inc., which is owned by Alabama-based GameTime. The company manufactures commercial playground materials for cities and schools.

Sky River Park’s playground is also nearing the end of its life, according to the city. Many of the replacement parts are no longer being manufactured. It is also outdated in terms of inclusivity and what kinds of activities are popular and available in the modern industry.

The play spaces in each park break down physical and social barriers to play, and have advanced climbing challenges and activities for older children, according to the city.

The city participates in a program that makes purchasing equipment more affordable. Discounts for both playgrounds were around 24 percent of the listed price through the U.S. Communities Nationwide Purchasing Cooperative, which helps agencies purchase services and materials through a competitive bidding process.