Wayne officials are promising that the upgrades to Atwood Park will be worth the long wait.
Despite an official announcement earlier this year that the park would see a new play structure in early spring or summer, no work has been done at the site, prompting questions from several residents in the area. In a response on the city Facebook page, officials said COVID-19 “created some significant delays with this project.”
The play structure removal and new installation is being funding using a grant from Wayne County which includes strict guidelines regarding the process, officials said.
“In order to follow the grant guidelines, the city and the county have to go through a formal bid process. Once a bid is accepted, the city and county will work with the selected contractor to schedule the project timeline,” officials said.
Several projects were delayed this year due to the social distancing requirements and many of the executive orders put in place regarding construction. Therefore, the project has been delayed until recently, the statement continued.
Representatives from Wayne and Wayne County will show the property to interested contractors who specialize in playscape buildouts this month, as a mandatory walk-through is part of the bidding process. Wayne County has issued bid requests for the project and those are due by the end of the month. When those bids are received, representatives from the city will work with the county to select a contractor for the project.
A timeline and construction schedule will be determined working with the contractor and the city, representatives said. “It is still the city's goal to have this completed in 2020,” according to the statement.
Workers from the Wayne Department of Public Works have removed all of the spindles around the fence line in preparation for the demolition of the current structure. The upper and lower portions of the fence will be removed in the very near future, officials said.
The spindles have names of individuals, families and organizations who supported the Atwood Playscape when it was erected and those spindles are available at the Department of Public Works. Anyone who wants to acquire a spindle(s), should contact the DPW and make the necessary arrangements.
A contractor will be at the park site to remove some trees which is necessary for the installation of the new playscape. Some other trees may also be removed if they are or will be hanging over the play structure area, officials said.
“We understand that the current playscape is unsightly and in deplorable shape. The city is doing its best to maintain it until it is demolished and replaced. Please be patient with us as we work hard to get this project on track. The new playscape is going to be beautiful,” the statement concluded.
