unit. Administration continues to maintain the unit to ensure it remains in safe working order. A new full replacement unit which includes the play structure, rubber surfacing and the surrounding infrastructure, is estimated at $353,507 based on 2019 dollars. It is recommended to wait for funding for the full replacement, as the funds for placing rubber surface under the existing unit is extremely high, and would be forgone in just a short time.

Risk Analysis:

When a new playground structure is installed, the Council approved 2015 Playground Audit confirmed that the base of all new playground structures is to be updated with a rubberized surface which will meet all AODA requirements. Installing a rubber surface or engineered wood fiber under the Willistead playground structure prior to replacing the entire playground structure will be quite costly and will ultimately need to be removed and replaced once again when the playground structure is replaced. Further to this, there is a great risk that the playground unit will fail prior than expected and thus need to be removed. Should this occur, the rubber surfacing might only be used for a year or two.

Financial Matters:

The updated Asset Management Plan (AMP) will be provided to City Council in the summer of 2019, and identifies the average annual funding required to sustain the assets in the plan, which includes playgrounds, at current service levels. For playgrounds the AMP will identify an annual funding level required to ensure playground units which have reached the end of their useful life and which are no longer safe can be replaced. Approval of the recommendations in the report would allow Administration to address the Willistead Park playground and surface without seeking alternative funding by reducing funding for other projects.

Should Council wish to proceed with updating the base of this playground, or the playground and the base, prior to consideration of the AMP recommendations, a funding source would need to be identified. This will likely require the pushing out or cancelling other projects to accommodate the funding required.

Consultations:

Conclusion:

The sand base under the Willistead Park is scheduled to be replaced at the same time as the play structure. Replacing the sand base prior to the playground structure would be quite costly and it would ultimately need to be removed and discarded when the new play structure is installed. Administration recommends waiting to install the rubberized surface at the same time as the play structure.

Planning Act Matters:

N/A