Thank you for your continued patience as we work to ensure that the playground is safe for play. The remaining pour-in-place rubber surfacing is expected to pick back up next week. We are targeting Mid-August for full completion.
Why are the new playgrounds not open?
We are all disappointed that the new playgrounds are not yet open. Our crews have been working hard to keep the project moving, but unforeseen challenges and setbacks have impacted the overall schedule.
- Weather delays. This Spring produced above-normal precipitation. Our crews faced 28 days of inclement weather-related non-workdays from March-May, when the project should have been in full gear.
- Equipment delays. Equipment lead times were longer than anticipated due to global shortages. Equipment orders placed in June 2021 arrived late when winter weather conditions had set in, and installation could not be done.
- Unforeseen site conditions. An unexpected drainage condition required plans to be adjusted. The new drainage materials to resolve the problem were custom and delayed the site work.
- Quality control issues with equipment. The manufacturer sent several damaged posts and panels with incorrect mounting systems, missing hardware, miss-drilled holes, and without pre-drilled holes. This required replacement parts to be made and shipped, additional time and labor, and collaborative on-site re-design.
- Trucker’s strike impacted the delivery of stone base material. A specific stone base layer for the rubber safety surfacing is required. A trucker’s strike affected the project team’s ability to procure the stone.