Arnold City Park is expected to have a new playground soon.
The city also will hold a couple of free events at the Arnold Recreation Center this month, including an open house scheduled for today, April 12, and a shredding event on Saturday, April 20.
Parks and Recreation Department Director Dave Crutchley said the playground is expected to be completed sometime between mid-May and the end of May.
“We need dry ground (to build the playground),” he said. “There will be a lot of holes dug because nearly every part of the structure has a support. It also is in a flood plain. The biggest problem is the rain in that flood plain because the water levels are high.”
The city is paying $304,709 to Hutchison Recreation and Design in Lake St. Louis for the playground and installation. The playground will be installed near the Dogwood Pavilion, lake and restrooms.
The park, which is on Bradley Beach Road near the Meramec River, has not had a playground since it was closed and then removed after Parks and Recreation Department employees discovered numerous parts of the structure were rotting.
City Administrator Bryan Richison said he believes the new playground will be a big hit.
“It is definitely a big upgrade over the previous playground,” he said. “I think the kids will have a great time with it. I am looking forward to it being installed.”
When the playground is ready for use, the city plans to hold a celebration, Crutchley said.
“We plan to have an opening event on the first Saturday after it is inspected and approved to be used,” he said. “We have not finalized what we will do for the opening.”
Improved playground
Crutchley said the new playground will be about twice as large as the previous one. The main portion will have a two-tier tower system with a 2-foot deck and an 8-foot deck. Towers will be connected by a bridge, and on the upper level, a slide will come off each of the towers.
An ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)-accessible ramp system will be included on the lower level of the tower system allowing access to the 2-foot deck. The system also features a small slide off the 2-foot deck and multiple climbing structures to reach the upper deck.
According to an artist’s rendering of the playground, the tower system is recommended for children between 5 and 12 years old.
Along with the large tower structure, there will be a smaller 2-foot platform playground recommended for children between 2 and 5. That structure will include steps, a ladder and a small slide.
The playground also will have a net spinner – a merry-go-round-type structure with a cone-shaped net stretched over the top. The playground also will feature two climbing structures, one with monkey bars and a pyramid-shaped jungle gym.
A swing set with traditional bench swings, a bucket swing, an ADA-accessible swing and a generation swing that allows an adult to swing with a child, will be installed in the area.
The base cost for the playground was $272,750, but the city is paying more to add features – a second double GlideAlong ride, which is described by the manufacturer as part swing and part track ride, and a Mantis Glide, which is a 90-foot zipline ride.
“I think we will have the only playground in our area with a zip line and the glides,” Crutchley said. “I think it is going to be huge. The old playground was popular, and based on the feedback from the community when we tore it down, we know how important it was. To have something brand new, it is going to be neat.
“When we shared (the equipment being delivered) on our Facebook page, it had one of the biggest number of shares and views that we have ever had. There is a lot of excitement. It is fun to see something like this come to fruition.”
Crutchley said the city already installed a rail fence around the playground area. The area already has been dug out to allow mulch to be put down after the playground is completed.
Coming up
The first of the city’s upcoming events is an open house from 5:30-7:30 p.m. today, April 12, at the rec center, 1695 Missouri State Road.
Admission is free and attendees will have the chance to use the facility’s indoor pool; workout area with weights and exercise equipment; and indoor track and a gym.
Crutchley said Arsenal Credit Union will hold a raffle for a $100 Visa gift card.
In addition, staff members will be at the rec center to answer questions about the facility and membership fees.
“It is a way to get people to the rec center who have not had a chance to come and see us, and to give them a chance to try the pool, shoots some hoops, use the workout area and see the facility,” Crutchley said.
A paper shredding event will be held from 8-11 a.m. Saturday, April 20, at the rec center’s outdoor pool area. The event is held by the city and Arsenal Credit Union.
There is a five-box limit per vehicle, and drivers do not get out of their vehicle to have the documents shredded.
“It is a huge event with a huge turnout,” Crutchley said. “It works perfectly at the outdoor pool because there is a long road leading up to the pool, so it never really gets backed up. Everyone can get rid of their documents that they want shredded so the information does not get into the hands of identity thieves.”
For more information, call 636-282-2380.