A fundraising plan will be developed for playground improvements at The Commons as the public prepares to get its first look at a concept design created for the space.
Hitchcock Design Group will present its design of the playground during an open house from noon to 4 p.m. Oct. 29 in the lower-level lobby of The Commons, 300 Washington St.
Presentations will be held at noon and 2 p.m. that day to share the history of the project and where it is now, said Pam Harrell, director of business services for the city’s parks and recreation department. The public will also get to weigh in with their thoughts on the project, she said.
The city hired Hitchcock for $32,000 to develop a design study tied to the playground. The firm held public open houses earlier this year and also gathered input from stakeholders about the playground, Harrell said.
Mark Jones, city parks and recreation director, said during Wednesday’s Commons Board meeting that the city plans to put together a fundraising plan for 2019. However, he said no timeline has been established as to when improvements will be made at the playground, which is anchored by the 35-feet-tall Luckey Climber mesh climbing activity.
Also undetermined at this point is exactly how much the upgrades could cost, Jones said.
The indoor playground is named for James A. Henderson, the retired Cummins Inc. chairman who led a $3 million campaign to rebuild The Commons, which generated more than $4 million.
The Lucky Climber will remain an integral part of the playground concept design that will be presented to the public, said Randy Royer, principal with Hitchcock Design Group.
The new playground concept focuses on issues such as sight lines of children and areas to restrict them from wandering off, Royer said. In addition, it also addresses the overall maintainability and repair of the playground, he said.
Commons Board member Kevina Schumaker, who plans to attend the open house, said the project is an important one, especially since the playground has gotten a lot of use since The Commons opened seven years ago.
“I’m anxious to see what the community input will be,” she said.
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What: Commons playground redesign open house
When: Noon to 4 p.m. Oct. 29. Presentations are planned at noon and 2 p.m.
Where: The Commons, 300 Washington St., in the lower lobby
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