Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05

New Equipment Coming to the Boone Tot Lot

What Color Will It Be?

Story by Kathleen McFadden

After lengthy discussion at their regular meeting Tuesday night, the Watauga County Board of Commissioners rejected a staff recommendation for playground equipment and approved a different company as the supplier.

When the board agreed last month to fund new playground equipment at both the Boone Tot Lot and the Cove Creek playground, the board tasked Assistant County Manager Deron Geouque with obtaining cost proposals for the equipment.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Geouque submitted proposals from three companies: Playworld, PEGS Recreation and Architectural Products and Safeplay.

County staff recommended Safeplay, based on cost, lack of maintenance, use of recycled materials, number of play activities and other factors. Safeplay submitted a bid for $100,000 for the Boone Tot Lot and $50,000 for the Cove Creek playground. Playworld’s bid for the Boone Tot Lot alone was $105,188, and PEGS Recreation’s bid was $96,744.65.

However, Marty Wilson, who has spearheaded the effort to renovate the Boone Tot Lot for two years, objected to the staff’s recommendation.

“Two years now we’ve been doing this,” she told the board. “We thought the plans were kind of set. We didn’t realize we were meeting to discuss different manufacturers.”

Wilson pointed out that when she and her group conducted community surveys with parents and children they considered the Safeplay equipment. The kids didn’t like the texture of the equipment, Wilson said, nor did they like the muted tan, brown and green color scheme.

Overwhelmingly, Wilson said, the surveyed children selected the Playworld equipment, not only because of the number of activities and range of types of equipment—such as multiple slide configurations—but also because of the bright colors. In addition, the Playworld equipment provides 91 percent accessibility for children with disabilities. “We feel the bang for the buck is better,” Wilson said.

Geouque pointed out that the county was interested in equipment with more neutral colors out of respect for neighbors who would have to drive by the site each day. In addition, Geouque said, fewer maintenance issues would arise with the Safeplay equipment.

Commissioner Mary Moretz moved to accept the Playworld bid, but her motion died for lack of a second and the discussion continued.

Initially, the commissioners favored a complete rebid, with all three companies providing quotes for both the Boone Tot Lot and for Cove Creek. Because the Safeworld bid was contingent on supplying both playgrounds, board members felt that Playworld might propose a better price if the company bid both locations. County Manager Rocky Nelson explained that if the commissioners chose that course, the new equipment would not be installed until the end of August.

After Wilson objected to another summer without new equipment at the Tot Lot, Moretz made a motion to accept the Playworld bid for the Boone Tot Lot and to rebid the equipment for Cove Creek.

The commissioners tasked Parks and Recreation Director Stephen Poulos to select the playground equipment colors in consultation with Wilson.

The county had budgeted $100,000 for the Tot Lot location, and Nelson said the additional $5,188 would be taken from the fund balance.

Any additional equipment or enhancements the Tot Lot committee wants for the playground will be financed through the group’s fundraising.