The playground at Ryckman Park in Melbourne Beach is about to get a $100,000 facelift which includes a brand-new, $34,000 toddler play area.
After five years of discussion and planning, the town of Melbourne Beach is moving forward with a complete renovation of the 16-year-old playground, replacing and restoring rusted, deteriorating equipment with brand-new parts – and adding a new section with tunnels and walkways, specifically tailored for toddlers, ages 2-5.
The playground has long been the go-to spot for local children and parents who want to enjoy a day of play and fresh air. But five years ago, as the park began to show signs of deterioration, the community took note – and so did commissioners, putting aside $50,000 of tax revenue in 2017 and another $50,000 in 2018 for the project.
But when initial replacement costs for all the current equipment came in at around $250,000 to $300,000, some decisions had to be made.
Public Works Supervisor Tom Davis met with the company that supplied the original equipment and found he could replace a lot of the parts instead of totally replacing the equipment.
The commission agreed to go forward with a plan that will replace aged, rusty, cracked pieces with brand new parts. The cost will be around $85,000.
Commissioners also decided to add the new toddler section after hearing positive feedback favoring it from members of the community.
Parts for rebuilding the existing playground should arrive in December and include a kaleidoscope, and all-new swings – including a swing that allows a parent and child to swing together.
“Our hope is that this will be like a brand-new park when we are done,” said Davis, who credited Commissioner Steve Walters and other commissioners for pushing the issues forward.
Commissioner Walters, who was recently re-elected, said the playground was one of the reasons he decided to run for office again.
“It was brought up that the $100,000 we put aside for playground might be spent on something else,” Walter said. “I had thought the issue was settled and I wanted to make sure the money was spent on what it was meant for.”
The town plans to host several fundraising events in the future to continue to raise money for playground improvements.
Mayor Jim Simmons said he is happy to see the project underway.
“We’ve gotten a lot of years, and a lot of use, out of our playground equipment and I’m happy that public works has provided a solid plan for refurbishing and upgrading it including our first ever toddlers section,” Simmons said. “Our plan depends on volunteer help. We have a lot of residents and non-residents on the South Beaches that regularly use our playground, so, there is a lot of potential. I am hoping that we see the same level of commitment that the tennis players showed when we refurbished the tennis courts.”