Consideration and Approval of Cooperative Contract:  Approve the purchase to replace existing playground equipment with new equipment and surfacing at Guadalupe Park in the amount of $97,346.69 utilizing The Cooperative Purchasing Network Cooperative Contract (#170302) with Landscape Structures, Inc. (through Exerplay, Inc. of Cedar Crest, New Mexico).

Approval of this contract will allow Exerplay to replace the playground equipment and surfacing at Guadalupe Park through The Cooperative Purchase Network. This purchase will allow for the replacement of the play structure and surfacing that is more accessible to children of all abilities to play, learn and grow together.

This playground design was one of four (4) designs presented to La Plaza Vieja Neighborhood Association who helped make the final selection.

The purchase of services is funded in whole by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), 2017-2018 Community Development Block Grant Funds (CDBG). The project is budgeted in the FY2018 (Housing fund) in account 021-05-108-6109-4-4433 in the amount of $97,346.69.

The purchase is anticipated to be in April 2018 when funding becomes available once the environmental assessment is complete and city has received the release of funds from HUD.

There will be no financial impact to the City.

This decision does not impact policy.

1. Award contract as recommended.
2. Not award the contract and provide direction on other available options.

This project was approved in the CDBG funds allocated and identified for Guadalupe Park rehabilitation and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility improvements. The current playground equipment is eighteen (18) years old and replacement parts are no longer available. The old equipment will be salvaged with the intent to use the parts for other equipment as needed.
 
The majority of City of Flagstaff’s playground surfacing is engineered wood fibers, which meet the fall protection and ADA accessibility requirements. Members of the community have voiced their concerns regarding the difficulty of accessing playgrounds using wheeled mobility devices. The use of rubberized surfacing will improve accessibility while complying with fall protection standards.

When considering the replacement of this playground equipment and surfacing, improving accessibility weighed heavily in the decision to use a unitary surface (rubberized). The different inclusive play elements offer many opportunities for play by any child regardless of their abilities.

CDBG funds granted to the City through HUD provide adequate resources for renovating these park amenities.

Inform, Involve: La Plaza Vieja Neighborhood was presented with four (4) different designs and education on new innovative concepts dealing with technological advances, combined with greater understanding of exercise science and children’s behavior, when deciding this playground design.