Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By Dawn Burleigh

Public feedback for selecting a new playground layout has been more than anticipated but warmly welcomed by the City of Orange City Council.

Three vendors, MAY recreation, All Play Inc and KRAFTSMAN, each submitted renderings, which are on display at www.orangetexas.net and www.facebook.com/orangetexasgov. The pictures were also on display at the Orange Public Library for public comment. Each had a budget of $450,000 for the playground and the design had to be ADA inclusive. Cost did not include the ADA sidewalk.

“The design included rubberized sidewalks,” Public Works Director James Wolf said. “Colors can be changed at this point in time.”

Councilmember Paul Burch voiced his opinion for the first design, by MAY recreation.

“The first one is no comparison,” Burch said. “It has the BoomPow moment, if you will. This has the big WOW factor.”

Council member Caroline Hennigan agreed with him.

Council member Terrie T. Salter asked if the council would hold more workshops before making a decision.

“Will we have more workshops so the citizens can tell us what they want?” she asked.

Mary McKenna said she had spoken with fours citizens with children and they all liked the first rendering as well.

Wolf was asked if he was satisfied with the building materials to be used for the equipment.

“We have looked at the same kind of material that would be used and we are satisfied with it,” Wolf said. “We visited playgrounds from each of the vendors.”

Wolf added the money is in the playground equipment and to rubberize the entire area would require the city to cut back on the equipment.

While the council appeared to be in agreement for the layout and design provided MAY recreation, the council has voted on which one to accept at this time. The item will be placed on a future agenda to be decided on then.

May Recreation Equipment & Design, L.P. is a greater Houston area commercial-grade park and playground equipment company whose primary purpose is to provide its clients with recreational design concepts emphasizing safety and fun while utilizing competitively priced products manufactured by companies who share our high standards of ethics, quality and reliability, according to its website.

All Play, Inc. is a Houston based playground equipment company that specializing in turn-key installations for Texas playgrounds and play spaces, offering play systems and commercial playground equipment that is reliable, safe and endlessly entertaining, according to its website.

KRAFTSMAN is a turnkey service provider of planning, designing, and implementing commercial playground equipment, waterparks and fountains that are safe, durable, and enjoyable, according to kits website.