6. d Playground Equipment Survey Results_12072020To: Scandia Parks and Recreation Committee (PRC)
From: Cami Van Abel
cc: Patti Ray, City Council Representative
Adam Hawkinson, Director of Public Works
Ken Cammilleri, City Administrator
Date: December 7, 2020
Re: City of Scandia (City) Playground Equipment
______________________________________________________________________
The Scandia PRC recently hosted a community engagement survey in anticipation of
playground equipment replacement at the Community Center and at the Wayne
Erickson Lighted Ballfield. The survey was conducted online only through Survey
Monkey. Survey results were solicited through the Scandia newsletter, the City of
Scandia’s Facebook page, the City website, and through the Scandia regional Nextdoor
webpage. The survey period was October 21st through November 20th. The survey
yielded a total of 35 responses.
Survey Responses
The general takeaways from the survey responses are as follows:
The majority of respondents (54%) stated that they visited the Scandia
Community Center Playground a few times a year. The second largest portion of
respondents (~29%) stated they never visited the playground
The majority of respondents (~49%) stated that they never visit the Wayne
Erickson Ballfield playground. The second largest portion of respondents (40%)
stated they visited the playground a few times a year.
The ages of the children of the respondents were split evenly throughout the
available categories (0 to 10+).
The majority of the respondents (57%) lived within 3-miles of the downtown City
center (Community Center).
The most popular choices for playground equipment preference included
climbing structures (climbing net, rock wall, tower, etc.), slides and tunnels,
swings and balancing structures (balance beams, teeter totters, bridges, etc.)
The majority of the respondents (47%) were indifferent to a playground theme.
The majority of respondents (29%) prefer playgrounds with a solid/bonded rubber
surface. The second largest portion of respondents (17.7%) indicated they had
no preference for the playground surfacing. Other options polled at 14.7% (each
for pea gravel, rocks, and rubber mulch/tire shreds), artificial grass/turf at 11.7%,
sand at 5.9%, and wood chips/mulch at 2.9%. One respondent indicated that
they preferred a playground surface with “anything that is soft to land on and is
accessible to people with differing abilities”.
We included a survey question for respondents to provide local playgrounds that
they and their family frequently visit. The most popular locations included:
o Washington County Big Marine Park
o Pioneer Park in Forest Lake
o Water Tower Park in Forest Lake
o Paradise Park in Chisago
o Teddy Bear Park in Stillwater
o Beltz Park in Forest Lake
o The playground near the Osceola Medical Center
We included a survey question for respondents to provide recommendations,
comments and suggestions for the PRC as they move forward with the
playground equipment replacement project. Responses are generalized and
paraphrased below:
o Provide benches and picnic tables
o Do not install a shredded tire surface due to potential environmental
concerns, material tracking and maintenance issues.
o Provide standardized messaging for park locations
o Provide equipment and activities for a variety of kid’s ages
o Invest in this project.
We had one respondent volunteer to help with playground equipment selection.
Proposed Next Steps
The project is scheduled to have the Wayne Erickson ballfield playground equipment
replaced in 2021 and the Community Center playground equipment replaced in 2023.
Currently, the City has allocated $37,500 for the playground equipment updates for the
Ballfield, with an anticipated matching grant funding of $37,500, for a total budget of
$75,000. The City has allocated $57,500 for playground equipment updates at the City
Community Center, with an anticipated matching grant funding of $57,500, for a total
budget of $115,000.
Discussion topics for 12/7/20 PRC meeting should include:
1. Should we look into not replacing the Wayne Erickson ballfield playground
equipment since is a non-frequented location and direct all the budget to the
Community Center playground? Would there be impacts to grant funding if we did
that?
2. Should we form a subcommittee to include community members outside of PRC?
Thinking we could include 2 PRC members, the volunteer through the survey and
solicit one additional community member?
3. Proposed Next Steps
a. Evaluate grant opportunities for playground equipment specific to location,
demographics, budget and schedule
b. Form playground equipment subcommittee group
c. Have a representative visit playgrounds listed in the survey response to see
layout, equipment, etc.