The Blaine City Council voted 6-1 to accept quotes for new playground equipment from Landscape Structures and for installation by Flagship Recreation at Jefferson Park. Council Member Chris Massoglia cast the lone dissenting vote.
Parks and Recreation Director Jerome Krieger said the park is located off Jefferson Street, north of Main Street and east of the nearby high school. The city acquired the park in 1974, and the first playground equipment was installed in 1976.
Jefferson Park is an 8.2-acre site and the city’s 12th-largest neighborhood park. Most of the playground equipment is about 20 years old, while the swing structure dates back 50 years and is the only remaining original piece.
“It might not look like it, but it was painted over,” Krieger said.
Krieger said equipment warranties expire after 15 years, leaving maintenance and liability with the city. Certified playground inspectors conduct inspections twice a year, and staff have replaced numerous bolts, screws and deteriorating components. A broken tube slide had previously been replaced with plywood.
Staff also conducted community outreach on Facebook and Nextdoor, presenting three color options for the new playground. More than 300 residents participated.
Krieger said the existing structure offers limited play opportunities.
“What you’re seeing is a lot of stairs, and a lot of transfer stages,” he said.
The current swing set features a 1970s-era A-frame design and sits within a plastic play curb containing mulch. Krieger said the curb is prone to cracking and shifting during maintenance, while weeds frequently grow through the material.
The new playground will feature green and yellow equipment, including a tire-style “Wiggly Jiggler” swing similar to one at Ivy Hills Park. The playground will also include multiple slides and new climbing features designed to support cognitive, sensory, motor, social and emotional development.
Krieger said playground safety standards have changed significantly over the past 20 years, requiring larger fall zones and additional engineered surfacing.
“Where you see all of these red dotted lines, these are all fall zones,” Krieger said.
The council previously approved a $115,000 budget for the project.
Massoglia said he heard from residents concerned that the city was replacing larger playground structures with smaller ones.
“I don’t see any issue with the current swing set that’s out there,” Massoglia said. “I just don’t understand why we’re not taking the money and repairing a couple of steps and a slide.”
Calling Jefferson Park his neighborhood park, Massoglia said he would prefer retaining the existing structure with minor additions rather than replacing it entirely.
“The main game kids play at parks is tag, sandman and lava monster,” he said.
Krieger said staff has been replacing plastic play curbing with concrete and that weed growth has created ongoing maintenance challenges.
Comparing the playground to a vehicle, Krieger said continued repairs were no longer cost-effective.
“How much money do you want to put back into a used car,” Krieger said, “before all of a sudden that money could have gone into a new one?”
Krieger said the city has previously held open houses for playground projects, allowing residents to review and select from multiple equipment options.