Allen to spend nearly $1M on new playgrounds, shade structures

Two Allen parks are slated to receive upgrades after Allen City Council approved spending nearly $1M at a Jan. 28 meeting.

Both Quail Run Park and Bradford Crossing Park will get new playgrounds and shade structures.

The details

The city will spend $399,347 with WeBuildFun, Inc. for Quail Run Park improvements and $600,000 for Bradford Crossing Park improvements, with funding coming from the Allen Community Development Corporation, per city documents.

The respective companies are responsible for the entire renovation process at each playground, including:

Demolition of the existing playgroundGradingA new drainage systemSubsurface establishmentPlayground designInstallationThe context

The typical lifespan of public playground equipment ranges from 15-20 years, per city documents. The playground at Quail Run Park was installed in 2005 and the playground at Bradford Crossing Park was installed in 2004.

The Parks and Recreation Department has multiple employees who are Certified Playground Safety Inspectors who perform regular inspections of playgrounds, city documents started.

These inspections and the guidelines established by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission are the most significant factors used in determining the need for playground equipment replacement.

To learn more about the Allen Parks and Recreation Department, visit www.lifeinallen.org.