The A.M. Rotary Club of Butler is planning a two-year renovation of the playground near the Miller Shelter in Memorial Park that will cost more than $100,000.

The project, which involves replacing all the playground equipment, was announced during the city council forum meeting Tuesday following a Rotary club meeting earlier in the day.

Councilman Jeff Smith, a Rotarian, said the project can serve as a model for future gifts to the city because the Rotary has agreed to maintain the new playground equipment and help establish a fund for the long-term care of the equipment.

“It’s going to be well over six figures,” said Rotarian Peggy Weckerly, who is in charge of raising money that will be used with grant money to buy the equipment.

She said the group does not have a more exact cost estimate.

“We are really pumped,” Weckerly said.

The project will be done in two phases. The first will be done in the fall and the second will begin next spring or summer.

“We want to get at least the first piece of equipment up in September,” Weckerly said.

“By fall we want to renovate one section of the playground,” said Steven Green, the Rotarian in charge of the project.

An existing swing set will be removed and replaced with a play set designed for children age 2 to 5 years old and an existing play set will be power washed and repainted, he said.

“Next year we’ll do the other section with new swings and a play set and adaptations to make it inclusive for children with disabilities,” Green said.

Additional work could be done depending on the amount of money raised.

“The more money we raise the bigger and better we will make it. We will set money aside for a legacy fund to maintain it for years to come,” he said.

Some of the money the Rotary raised at the Carved in Ice Festival will go toward the project, Weckerly said.

The group has applied for grants from the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau and the Butler County Bar Association and will begin fundraising in June, she said.

In March, council applied to the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for a $40,000 grant for the playground project and the Rotary has agreed to match the grant.

“You’ve got to raise the funds,” Weckerly said.

Some businesses have asked to make donations, she added.

The goal is to buy high quality equipment that will last for many years. Club members will maintain the equipment and do other maintenance work such as spreading mulch around the playground, she said.

“People want to see that park looking good and we want to make it nice for picnics and family activities,” she said.

Smith said existing equipment not being reused could be moved to Father Marinaro Park or Ritts Park.