Playground equipment being replaced
ADAMS TWP — Students at Mars Primary Center should have a new place to play this fall.
Last week members of Mars School Board unanimously approved a $61,828 contract for the replacement of playground equipment at the school. According to Wes Shipley, superintendent, the district has been looking at making upgrades for a while after yearly safety checks revealed issues.
“This is a piece of equipment that has been of concern,” Shipley said at a recent board meeting. “We are at a point now where we have the rubberized coating has worn through, there's exposed metal and places where bolts are starting to shear off.”
The original manufacturer of the equipment no longer exists, which has complicated the repair process. Shipley said pieces have needed to be salvaged from other equipment.
District officials initially sought bids for the project a few years ago, and Shipley said those quotes ranged from $75,000 to $80,000. However, the $61,828 bid from Snider Recreation includes prevailing wage, and also was secured through the state's Costars program. Because of that, a formal bid process was not necessary.
The project will eliminate mulch around the playground and replace it with heavy rubber, which will eliminate annual maintenance costs, Shipley said. Swings will not be replaced, Shipley added.
The project is being paid for with expansion fund money, according to Dayle Ferguson, school board president. It is expected to be completed by the beginning of the school year.
