HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 12-14-2004-5hORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: December 14, 2004
Action Age 5da~
Item No.
SUBJECT: Central Recreation Center Playground Apparatus
DEPARTMENT: Recreation and Parks
ATTACHMENT(S):
A, Photos of Site
B, Partial Site Plan
C, Public Meeting Summary
PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
INFORMATION CONTACT:
Lori Taft, Recreation and Parks,
ext 2660
TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
Hillsborough
Chapel Hill
Durham
Mebane
732-8181
968-4501
688-7331
336-227-2031
PURPOSE: To receive a staff summary of community feedback and consider granting approval
for the purchase and installation of playground apparatus at the Central Recreation Center
located at the Whiffed complex,
BACKGROUND: The Recreation and Parks Department hosts 20 - 30 children in an "after-
school" program each Monday through Friday during the school year. The program is run
primarily in the building's Activity Area I, which offers limited opportunity far the children to run
around and "blow off steam". These children also have limited opportunity to use the gym, as
hosts older children in pick-up basketball activity, The Department's summer camp is usually
filled to capacity with 100 children enrolled for each of seven weeks in June and July,
The addition of a small playground consisting of five pieces of apparatus, in addition to a swing
set, would provide the children and staff in the programs with an outdoor option for free play. In
addition, this playground, while fenced, would not be locked, and as such, would be available to
neighbors and the general public during the evenings, weekends and holidays.
The area proposed for use is located at the top of the stairs at the rear exit doors from the
gymnasium. It is currently an open grassy area and not central to any designated use of the
building or the Whiffed complex, Photos of the site and the partial site plan are shown as
Attachment A and Attachment B respectively.
In May of 2003, staff brought the project before the Town of Hillsborough Historic District
Commission. The Commission approved the project with no modification.
The Recreation and Parks Advisory Board has received reports on this project and is in support
of it,
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On November 3, the Board gave approval to proceed with solicitation of community input and to
report back on the results of this effort. A public meeting was held at 6:OOPM on December 9 at
the Central Recreation Center to present the site plan and hear reactions from the community,
Fliers announcing the meeting were sent to residences within the Historic District and a meeting
notice was placed in the News of Orange "Extra", Attachment C is a summary of the session
with a list of those in attendance.
The only critical comment that remains to be resolved is what one citizen observed as the threat
to children ears because of the high frequency noise they described from the Whitted chiller,
County management is continuing its work with community members to identify and evaluate
the most cost effective means of addressing this concern, The BOCC can anticipate an update
by the first meeting in January, Recreation and Parks staff is not aware of any complaints or
objections on noise or hearing from children or their parents who currently use the facilities in
and around the Central facility for recreation activities,
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The purchase and installation of the equipment is estimated at $25,000,
Perimeter fencing and mulch safety surfacing installed by County staff is expected to run about
$5,000, Up to $30,000 in funding needed far this project is currently available in the Recreation
and Parks Facilities Capital fund,
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board receive the summary of
findings from community comments and authorize staff to proceed with solicitation of bids for
purchase and installation of the playground equipment.
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COMMUNITY MEETING
Playground Structure
December 9, 2004
ATTENDANCE: Lori Taft (Management Director); Keitha Barrett (Facility
Supervisor); Dan Derby (Parks Director); Sharon Kelly (Parks
Conservation Technician); Kathy Craven (Office Assistant); Gwen
Harvey (Assistant County Manager); Bryant Warren (Holt St); Del
and Becki Hermann (Queen St); Evelyn Poole-Kober
(Occoneechee St); Nettie Lassiter (Queen St); .Taney Tippens
(Queen St); Will and Stan Endres (Occoneechee St); Morgan
Moylan (Queen St); Elizabeth Hays (King St)
OPENING: Lori opened the meeting at 6:15 pm with discussion of the
playground structure to be built at the Central Recreation Center
adjacent to Hassle Street, Preliminary funding is available for a
basic playground structure.. Lori described the set-up according to
the displayed lay out, Samples were distributed.
QUESTIONS & Q~ What are the ages for the structure?
ANSWERS AM 5 to 12 years old
QM Will the age limit be enforced?
A~ No, unless a problem occurs during the day, no extra staff will
be hired for night and weekend usage.
Qµ Do you plan on lights?
A~ No
Q~ Do you have future plans to expand into the field?
A~ Lori does not have any plans for putting anything in that field
but she does not have control over the complex,
Q~ The high frequency pitch of the chiller has been shown to
cause ear damage, how can the Commissioners want to have
children exposed to that?
A~- Lori stated, the children in the community that will benefit
from this playground are already here and exposed to it. That she
doesn't expect too many people to drive from other communities.
She hopes nothing will be done to expose the children to health
risks. The chiller issue is still being studied and it's possible more
corrective measures may be taken.
Q~ Will the port-a-potty, that was present during football practices,
be used again? One complaint was it smelled bad,
A~• ICeitha explained the reason for the port-a-potty was to prevent
the children from walking across the new gym floor with cleats, A
suggestion of locking the gym doors and directing the children
around the building was suggested.
CONCERNS & C~ Safety issues were mentioned: Kids darting into the parking lot
SUGGESTIONS when leaving the playground, the position of the gate, the end tree
is a blind spot to traffic, parents are unable to see their children
from the bleachers,
S~ The play area will be fenced. We could move the gate to the
other end of play area, post signage using caution entering and
exiting playground and climbing up the tree with possible removah
C~• Older children hanging out,
S~ Posting signage with age limits allowed and operation hours.
INDIVIDUAL
SUMMARIZED
BELOW
POSITIVE FEEDBACK: • Likes the design and the position of the playground as long
as it does not spread into the field area.
• Is excited to hear the sounds of children playing.
• Is excited to be able to take her children to play in walking
distance from home and exposing them to other children.
• Walks to work, crossing the field, and enjoys the looks of
the greenery.
• Thinks the Recreation Department is great for the children
and talks highly of it. Supports the depaztment in future
programs for the children,
NEGATIVE • Thinks the high frequency pitch from the Wlritted chiller
FEEDBACK: likely poses a threat to children ears. Wants the
Commissioners to be aware that they still want the chiller
issue fixed..
FUTURE Dan Derby spoke of the work already done along the fence line of
CONSTRUCTION: the field. The morning glories were removed along the west fence
line to preserve the site line at the stop sign. Future planting of
greenery will be in the spring.
TURNIP PATCH PARK: Morgan Moylan presented and distributed information regarding
the playground plans for the Turnip Patch Park in the West IGng.
West Mazgaret and Occoneechee area.
ADJOURNED: Lori adjourned the meeting at 7:15 pm.
Respectfully submitted:
Kathy Craven
Office Assistant