City Staff Eyes Playground

WAITSBURG - City of Waitsburg staff members have spotted some playground equipment on sale and they're hoping the city council approves the purchase to make Preston Park more fun for kids this summer.

"Most of the equipment (at the park) is fairly old," said City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe. "We always put it on our list for things we would like to do."

Hinchliffe and Clerk Kelly Steinhoff saw a piece of playground equipment with tunnel tubes to crawl through a slide and a gazebo on sale and they said the playground could be purchased and installed for $26,000. In addition to a new playground, the duo would also like to install an elementary-sized basketball court with two hoops.

Steinhoff said last year local children had tied a makeshift hoop to one of the trees in the park, but it had to be taken down because they were playing too close to the street. The basketball court would cost the city $10,000 to $12,000 to install.

Steinhoff and Hinchliffe said adding to the park is very beneficial because it gets used a lot by local children in the summertime. With its location adjacent to the city pool, children often head to the park for the onehour lunch break in the hot, summer afternoons.

There is a ton of space in the park that could be filled with more toys, Steinhoff said. The basketball court and new playground could be added toward the back of the park where the other equipment is. Hinchliffe said most of the play equipment in the park dates back to the 1970s.

"Playground equipment might seem frivolous," Steinhoff admitted.

However, she said the funds that would pay for these projects come from real estate excise tax and that money can only be used to improve facilities, such as painting City Hall. That money cannot pay for staff members nor pay for water or sewer.

Hinchliffe said the city will need about $40,000 to complete both projects. But, neither will be completed without the approval of the city council.

If the city council does approve the additions, the city would likely take out a loan to get the play equipment and basketball court installed, Hinchliffe said.

But, he and Steinhoff have also been soliciting individuals and businesses for donations to the project and received about $2,500 so far.

Hinchliffe said he hopes others will like to donate and those interested can stop by and speak with him about the project and look at the photos of the equipment.

Their hope is that the council approves the new equipment soon so it can be installed and ready for play by the time summer comes.

The summer is a busy travel season in the area and many tourists stop at the park's rest area to use the bathroom. The pair hopes the new play equipment will draw families with a car full of kids who need to get out some energy on long drives. The play equipment may also encourage passersthrough to stay awhile in town and eat or shop.

"We want to get another (way to draw people) besides a bathroom," Steinhoff said .

H inchliffe added that those who support the new play equipment should contact a city councilman and voice their opinion.