Highland Park playground to be replaced

The Watertown City Council unanimously approved a proposal that will replace the playground equipment at Highland Park during its meeting on March 10. The project had been delayed for several years.

The approved Highland Park playground equipment will bring many updated features. The color scheme has yet to be determind. (Submitted design)

[Highland Park] is one of the higher use parks one of the jewels of our park system, City Administrator Shane Fineran said. It has been years since a sufficient upgrade to Highland Park. Despite a push in 2011 for a replacement, budget pressures didnt allow the plan to move forward until now as funding is now available. After receiving presentations from both Minnesota-Wisconsin Playground/Game Time and Flagship Recreation/Landscape Structures in January and February, the Park Commission decided to go with the Flagship plan. The structure includes two slides, a suspension bridge, rope climbing and two other independent play features within the play container, including the Topsy Turny, a free standing, independent spinner. It will be one of the first in Minnesota, Flagship Recreation Playground Consultant Paul Satterlund said. The structure is geared to 5 to 12 year olds, but Satterlund pointed out that there were features included for toddlers as well. We added free standing events that are great for the young, so parents can be involved wih 2-5-year-olds, Satterlund said, noting several shallow large steps that would be accessible by toddlers. We also added higher decks to challenge kids [ages 5-12] who want a challenge. Included in the quote will be concrete play container curbing, sidewalk connection to ADA parking, and installation of wood fiber chips that are ADA compliant, unlike the current gravel which is glorified sand. All included, the project will cost $50,000. Installation of the equipment will be led and managed by Landscape Structures, employing many area residents, including the removal of the existing old wood beams and replacing them with curb siding. The swing set will remain, but chains and seats will be updated. The hope is to have the project finished by May, weather permitting. The Park Commission will review color combinations at its March 18 meeting.

Retaining wall reimbursement FEMA has notified the city that they are able to start submitting reimbursement requests for the repair of the Castle Ridge retaining wall after the unusual June torrent of rain that severely damaged the structure. The restoration and replacement of this retaining wall, and all associated fees, including engineering, bidding, and legal, have been confirmed as an approved project eligible for disaster relief funds up to $255,413.67. The only thing not included was roughly $6,000 in plants and other landscaping around the retaining wall, other than grass deemed covered for soil erosion prevention. The three options the council was to consider were to either only plant the grass that was FEMA approved, pay for the roughly $6,000 in plants and landscaping, or some option in between. While some council members thought the landscaping may spur future housing development opportunities in the area or generally add aesthetic, others were worried about the maintenance factor. It is better with grasses, Mayor Steve Washburn said. It went into such disarray before. Council member Adam Pawlek agreed, saying that the philosophy should be less is more, considering how previous planting ventures have grown together and have become a mangled mess for both maintenance and aesthetic value. The wall could have fallen whenever, Council member Michael Walters said. We are luck FEMA is picking up $250,000. If we are spending only $6,000, we got off without paying a quarter of a million. Fineran recommended to make the budget amendment for the full job, noting that the city now is aware of its responsibility with the retaining walls in town and Public Works wont let the plantings go to disarray again. We have a lot of good activity going on in this neighborhood, Fineran said. Ive got to think that this lends to if people are driving through this community and see the investments the park, the landscaping that is being done, theyve got to say Watertown is the place that I want to be. The council approved the motion to make a budget amendment to pay for the $6,660 in landscaping.

In other news: Jennifer OConnell was appointed to one of the two vacant positions on the Planning Commission after an interview with Washburn and Council member Deborah Everson interviewed her on Friday, March 6. OConnell was approved unanimously by the council to a term ending Dec. 31, 2015. The council will hold a special meeting on March 26 to hear from Sen. Ortman and Rep. Nash as they report on the legislative session. Time is still to be determined, but was suggested to be started around 6 or 6:30 p.m.

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Highland Park playground to be replaced