CSure Children’s Park is closed for repairs.
VENTNOR – Children will be jumping for joy this summer after four of the city’s playgrounds get a makeover. The effort is just one of the major capital projects being funded through a bond ordinance approved in October 2017. It could cost as much as $480,000 to do the upgrades, depending on design plans, which are still not finalized.
Resident Marsha Galespie, who was instrumental in getting the handicapped accessible CSure Children’s Park rebuilt in 2007, said she was “thrilled” to see the playground was finally getting the attention it needs.
“I put my heart and soul into that project and cried over the years about what happened to it with no security,” she said.
The playground was rebuilt with donations from the community, and a slew of volunteers and several trade unions, Galespie said.
“It was an amazing project. A thousand people showed up for the grand opening. It’s the only ADA-compliant playground on Absecon Island,” she said.
According to Public Works Supervisor Ed Stinson, the city plans to refurbish four of Ventnor’s playgrounds, including the ones at Titus Field on Surrey Avenue, the Sand Castle Playground behind the Ventnor Library and the Fireman’s Playground on Burghley and Fulton avenues.
“The plan is to make necessary repairs to all four playgrounds so they will be opened this summer,” Stinson said.
The city is currently looking at using state approved contractors to expedite repairs so the playgrounds could be open by June 15, he said.
Going out to bid could add weeks to the project timeline, so working with vendors who have already been approved by the state, will expedite the process, he said. Cost estimates will be available next week.
Keeping people off the CSure Children’s Park while it is waiting to be upgraded is problematic, so the Public Works Department placed a large piece of plywood at the gate with a notice prohibiting access.
“CSure has been closed,” Stinson said. “The ground surface took a beating over the winter and it is unsafe, so I closed that,” he said.
The CSure playground is the only one in Ventnor that has an engineered surface that makes it easy for wheelchairs to get in and out of the park. However, the surface has worn out in spots, especially near the swings and slides. Poor drainage has also degraded the rubber surface.
A new drainage system will be installed to prevent the poured rubber surface from degrading in the future, he said.
Three of the playgrounds currently have sand surfaces or engineered playground mulch, except for one small area in the playground behind the library.
“All will have engineered playground mulch when the projects are completed,” he said.
Stinson said much of the playground equipment in all four parks needs to be replaced.
“The newest piece is 6 years old, and the welds are rusted. The repairs would exceed the replacement cost,” he said.
The estimate for Fireman’s Playground is $30,000 on a state contract; Titus Field, which includes repairing the fencing, is estimated at $65,000; the library playground $75,000; and CSure, which requires the most work, $310,000.
In other recreation related business, Stinson announced that the fishing pier restrooms and office renovation project will be delayed past summer because a previously approved CAFRA permit has expired, he said.
The city will meet with the DEP to obtain a new permit, which will delay construction past the summer, he said.
Commissioner Lance Landgraf said state officials may not realize that there has been a restroom on the pier for nearly 50 years.
“We may have to hold their hand on that,” he said. “It’s disappointing we won’t have it done this summer but will get to it by hook or by crook.”
