Sisson-Eek Park gets makeover
By JESSICA ALLEN Staff writer
Maryville Parks and Recreation staff has been working to remove old playground equipment from Sisson-Eek Park this week. Parks Director Aaron Dobson said he hopes to have the removal finished by the end of the month so a crew from Fry and Associates can begin installing the new equipment.
Sisson-Eek Park will get a fresh new look this summer.
Included in the Maryville Parks and Recreation budget for this fiscal year were funds to replace the playground equipment at the park, located at 406 W. Lincoln.
The old playground equipment is currently being removed by Parks and Recreation staff and should be gone by the end of the month, according to Director Aaron Dobson.
The parks department is subcontracting with Fry and Associates, a Kansas City-area supplier of commercial play equipment for Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Nebraska.
Once the old equipment is gone, a crew from Fry and Associates will begin installation of the new playground.
Dobson said that although he and the parks department have goals for a timeline, everything is dependent on the weather. He hopes to begin installation the week of June 13 and have the playground ready for young visitors before the end of the month.
“We’re hoping to get it done sooner, but the elements will be a key factor in that,” Dobson said.
Worst-case scenario, he added, the playground should still be ready for the July 4 holiday.
The new equipment, manufactured by Playworld, is called “Child’s Dream” and has a “whimsical, tree house feel to it.”
“It’s something a little bit unique compared to the other playgrounds we currently have,” Dobson said.
The Sisson-Eek playground will be the second in Maryville to feature a bonded rubber surface. Sunrise Park was the first to feature the surface after it was updated in 2014.
The bonded rubber surface is one complete piece that is “smooth” to install and more durable and efficient in the long run compared to traditional wood fiber playground surfaces.
“Wood fiber is cheaper on the front end, but you always have to be replacing and refilling it because it’s always washing out from rain and decaying over time,” Dobson said. “(Bonded rubber) is more money on the front end, but it lasts longer and we have found, from talking with our parks staff and other municipalities, it’s a lot easier to maintain.”
A layer of sealant applied to the surface about every five years should be the extent of the required maintenance.
Looking ahead, Dobson said he has begun looking at capital improvements projects for the next fiscal year.
“All of our capital improvement for this year should be wrapping up after this playground,” he said. “We are looking at everything from updating play surfaces to a pavilion to other elements for the next fiscal year.”
Dobson added that most of the playgrounds in Maryville are relatively new, having been updated in the last eight to 10 years.
Other than general repairs, his main focus is phasing out the old surfaces in favor of the bonded rubber.
“I would someday like to have this bonded rubber as our universal play surface,” Dobson said.
Heading into Memorial Day weekend, the parks department also completed the replacement of the sound system at the Maryville Aquatic Center in time for the pool’s opening on Monday.
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The new playground equipment features several slides, bridges, and climbing features.
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The above is an artist’s rendering of the new playground equipment, titled “Child’s Dream,” to be installed at Sisson-Eek Park next month.
