New playground equipment will be installed at five Naperville parks this summer.
The Naperville Park Board has approved a $820,192 expenditure to replace aging play areas at Century Farms, Farmington, Pembroke, University Heights and Yorkshire Manor Parks.
Director of Planning Eric Shutes said the existing swings and slides at the sites have reached the end of their useful life.
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“The equipment has a definite life cycle of around 15 years, and we confirm through our park inspections when it should be replaced,” Shutes said.
“In some cases, the play equipment lasts a little longer and in some cases it’s less. The equipment also may require replacement because of code compliance so it can’t be resold to some other public entity.”
Some of the items planned include new styles of swings, climbing components and raised platforms.
“There also will be a gliding device at one park that’s a little bit like a zip line,” Shutes said. “I think folks are really going to like what’s coming.”
New equipment was chosen following meetings and an open house for the public held last month.
“We met with residents, community groups and homeowner associations,” park district Executive Director Ray McGury said. “They gave us helpful information, such as needing only three swings instead of six at a certain playground, or wanting a lunch area off to the side. We’re trying to pro-actively serve their needs rather than just telling residents what we think is best for their neighborhood parks.”
Century Farms Park consists of 5.61 acres and is located at Commons and Sigmund Roads in the Century Farms subdivision on Naperville’s north side.
Farmington Park has 5.62 acres and is situated at 2331 Remington Drive, along Naper Boulevard, in the southeast part of town.
The 3.08-acre Pembroke Park is in northeast part of city, just south of Naperville Country Club on Pembroke Road.
University Heights Park is 9.91 acres in size and located in the subdivision of the same name in the southeast part of town
Yorkshire Manor Park is a 3.01-acre area nestled behind homes at the corner of Brighton Road and Buckingham Drive in the east portion of the city, in the Yorkshire Manor neighborhood.
The contracts approved last week pay for removal of the old playgrounds and installation of the new equipment, landscaping and site furnishings, such as picnic tables and trash cans. The expenditure averages $164,038 per park.
Hacienda Landscaping, of Plainfield will do the work at Century Farms Park, while Innovation Landscape, also of Plainfield, won contracts for the other four parks. Each firm was the lowest of six or seven companies that bid individually on each park project.
“It’s a competitive scenario,” Shutes said. “Depending on the weather, all five playgrounds should be substantially completed and ready by the time kids go back to school.”
Gary Gibula is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.