The Mount Pleasant Personnel and Finance Committee discussed several city projects Thursday, including plans for a new playground at United Thru Play Park and the potential renovation of a building for use as a city daycare facility.
The committee reviewed quotes and plans for the new playground at United Thru Play Park on West Madison Street near the former Saunders School. After reviewing options and hearing recommendations from the Parks and Recreation Department, the committee wants to move forward with Option A. The cost of the playground equipment and installation is approximately $332,313.
The new playground will have a footprint roughly comparable to the former wooden playground at the park. The design will include areas and equipment intended for both younger and older children, with a total capacity of approximately 238 children.
One of the changes from the previous playground will be the surface. The new playground will use a durable artificial turf, or astroturf, surface. The turf is expected to help speed up construction of the playground and will also be easier and more cost-effective to replace and maintain over the long term.
The goal is to have the playground installed and ready for use before winter, with the project expected to be completed by the end of the fall.
The city already has $80,000 in donations allocated toward the playground project. The remaining funding will come from the city’s Local Option Sales Tax fund, which currently has an approximate $5 million balance.
The playground is expected to be the first stage of improvements at United Thru Play Park. A second stage will involve future discussions about additional improvements to the park, including a bathroom remodel, sidewalks around the perimeter, lighting and security improvements.
The committee also discussed the city’s partnership with the local childcare center and plans to assist with a potential permanent facility. The Mount Pleasant Childcare Center is currently operating from a temporary location at the City Center, utilizing portions of the former high school classrooms and Cottrell Gym.
The city is moving forward with exploring the purchase and reuse of the former Wiley’s Interior Furnishings and Designs building at 2235 East Washington Street as a permanent daycare facility. The proposal would involve retrofitting and remodeling the existing building to accommodate the daycare, while also planning for future potential growth.
The daycare discussion comes as the city continues to evaluate how to provide an appropriate long-term facility that is sustainable to operate and serves Mount Pleasant families well.
The playground and daycare discussions were among the items on the agenda for Thursday’s Mount Pleasant Personnel and Finance Committee meeting. Other agenda items included discussions on city tax and property tax changes coming from the legislature that will affect future revenues and budget planning, Fire Department equipment and compensation related to increased paperwork requirements, and the creation and adoption of a light-duty work policy across city departments.
The next regularly scheduled Mount Pleasant City Council meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 23rd at 5:30 p.m. The public is welcome to attend.