A new playground that's been five years in the making is expected to get the go-ahead from city council next week, pending approval of an additional $72,811 to cover a steep rise in the cost of playground equipment since city staff set the original budget for the project.
Over 60 respondents to a public input survey on Engage Cambridge said a new playground is desperately needed in the Linden Drive neighbourhood in Preston.
But since the project was approved in 2017, the subdivision developer, who was under no set timeline to complete the playground, was unable to clean up, grade and seed the park block until last spring.
Since then, the cost of playground equipment has skyrocketed. Suppliers have told city staff their equipment material costs have increased by 10 to 20 per cent since 2020.
The original approved 2017 budget was set at $115,000. The additional costs would be taken from the ‘Development Charges Parks Reserve Fund if council approves it.
The project would then proceed as planned this year with OpenSpace Solutions providing the playground and Yard Weasels completing the site works.
“Council could consider cancelling the project at this time and re-budget this park development for a future year," reads the report to council. "However considering the delays already experienced, and concerns expressed from the Limerick community, this alternative is not recommended,”
