TCGIS Playground Updates
Vision: To create a comprehensive playground design for the TCGIS campus that provides a variety of playful, safe, accessible, and age-varied opportunities for approximately 600 TCGIS students from Kindergarten to 8th grade. Priorities include creative and efficient use of the school’s outdoor space, the removal of deteriorated surfaces/structures and the incorporation of nature-inspired play areas, adding shade, storage, benches, and new and inviting playground features that reflect the feedback we receive from the community. Playground durability is high priority due to the wear rate produced by hundreds of students and daily use, along with practical considerations such as plowing and safety.
Timeline:
Timeline:
- January-February 2024: Call for playground task force volunteers in the Rundbrief
- February 21, 2024: First meeting of the 2024 playground task force
- March 5, 2024: Wrote and shared request for proposals for playground design and installation
- March 7, 2024: Created and administered survey for stakeholders
- March 21, 2024: Charter of the playground task force approved by the TCGIS Board
- March 27, 2024: Reviewed stakeholder survey feedback and determined priorities
- April-ongoing: Researched and applied for grant opportunities
- April 5, 2024: Held listening session with Student Council
- May-July: Gathered bids, met with vendors, explored options for playground designs, equipment, placement, materials, etc
- May 30, 2024: TCGIS Board approved $278,000 budget for playground project
- $15,000 from PTO
- $100,000 from community fund
- $120,500 from fund balance/capital improvement fund
- $42,500 from the funds raised in 2019 capital campaign
- June 7, 2024: Hired landscape architect (BKV group)
- July 2024: Site work vendor(Albrecht Company) and playground equipment manufacturer (Kompan) selected
- July 26, 2024: Finalized site plan and phase I play equipment plan, negotiated discounts, placed order for Kompan equipment (10-12 week delivery time), site survey completed by Trosen Surveying
- August 5, 2024: Site work began at TCGIS – Phase 1 work includes:
- Removal of old rubber play surface
- Removal of existing sandbox and adjacent non-thriving bushes
- Improved drain tile system for stormwater mitigation
- Relocation of the climbing dome to increase safe fall zone
- New surfaces including engineered wood fiber (EWF), concrete sidewalks, patio, and curbing to contain EWF
- Addition of 2 Common Hackberry trees
- Addition of 10 dwarf honeysuckle bushes
- Installation of Gaga ball pit
- August 26, 2024: Target date for phase I completion (first day of school)
- Oct. 14-18, 2024: Phase 2 work begins – new playground equipment to be installed over Fall Break includes:
- Installation of Kompan equipment: 2 steel soccer goals, 2 new basketball goals, Inclusive Spinner, Triple Tower Play Structure with integrated shading, 3 slides, bridge, climbers, and curly pole
Phase 3: Date TBD pending funding:
Removal/salvaging of old East Playground and installation of Kompan Robinia wood play equipment and colorful benches/seating, painting colorful sport court lines, painting 4 square/hopscotch games on new concrete patio.
Click here to see Phase 3.
Removal/salvaging of old East Playground and installation of Kompan Robinia wood play equipment and colorful benches/seating, painting colorful sport court lines, painting 4 square/hopscotch games on new concrete patio.
Click here to see Phase 3.
New Playground Equipment to Be Installed Oct. 2024:
|
What We've Heard:"Replace the surface" |
Frequently Asked Questions:
What input did the committee get from the school community?
- Met with student council, sent survey to families, teachers/staff
- Committee has school teacher/staff and parent participation
- Communications were sent out via the Rundbrief and present here on the website
What were the priorities?
- Replacing the surface, add new play equipment, provide shade, improve sports area/equipment
- Nature-inspired feel
What are the phases of the project?
- Phase I: site work & gaga ball pit (fully funded); movement of dome; painting wall with chalk friendly paint
- Phase II: installing sports equipment (basketball nets, soccer goals, painting of sports courts lines), part of the play equipment (larger play structure with 3 slides, one large spinner and one single spinner); old play structure will be kept in place temporarily
- Phase III: PENDING FUNDS purchase and install additional equipment (wooden climbing structure, pendulum swing or track, somersault bar and sandbox) in place of the old play structure
- Additional plans: adding more benches, possibly adding garden beds, mural
How much funding is needed to complete phase III?
- For the additional play equipment, we need approximately $47k
- For additional seating, more elaborate sports court painting, and a volleyball net, we need an additional $25k
What site work needed to be done?
- The vast majority of the budget for this project went toward sitework (~$170k)
- The site work included removing and replacing the surface, adding concrete curbing and sidewalks, moving ping pong tables, sandbox, and dome, and planting 2 trees and 10 dwarf honeysuckles.
Will there be shade?
Yes, we have 2 hackberry trees build into the design, as well as shade on top of the new large play structure
Why did we choose engineered wood chips for the ground cover?
- -this solution minimized cost, improves safety and accessibility, and provides the desired nature-fee
What parts of the design are nature-inspired?
- We added trees (2), dwarf honeysuckles (10), and engineered wood chips.
- In phase III, we will also have a wooden movement structure (either pendulum swing or track ride tower) and a parkour climbing structure. The sandbox will also be made from wood.
How will the sports areas be improved?
- We will add improved basketball hoops and soccer goals that are stronger and safer in phase II (late October install). We will also repaint the lines on the sports courts.
- We are adding a gaga ball pit in phase I (beginning of school).
- We will add a surprise ball game in phase III.
- We will also be adding sports sheds.
Will there be artificial turf?
- No, this was price prohibitive and would have taken too much space
- The committee was also concerned about potential toxicity
Why did we move the dome?
- We were notified that the fall zone was not large enough near the large fence. Moving it increased safety.
- It also allowed us to fit more equipment overall.
- It did add an unexpected cost to the project.
What will happen to the other old play structure? Are we going to fix the slide?
- This will be moved in phase III and replaced with multiple pieces of equipment.
- We are unable to fix this equipment because it is too old and pieces are no longer sold for it.
What movement equipment will be added?
- Two spinners will be added in phase II. A larger one (capacity 12) and a smaller bowl spinner (capacity 1).
- In phase III, the plan is to add either a pendulum swing or or track.
Will we still have a sandbox?
- We decided to use the current sandbox for gaga ball. But in phase III we have a sandbox in the design.
Links
Questions, Comments and Feedback
Email [email protected]