Rossville officials are moving forward with plans to build a new playground. This March 2020 file photo was taken after the council on March 9, 2020, authorized the playgroundÐÔÊӽ紫ý demolition due to safety concerns.
Rossville officials are moving forward with plans to build a new playground. This March 2020 file photo was taken after the council on March 9, 2020, authorized the playgroundÐÔÊӽ紫ý demolition due to safety concerns.
Rossville officials have approved funds to complete work at John Ross Commons and to provide funds to build a new city playground.
The council voted Oct. 11 to spend $100,000 of SPLOST (special purpose local option sales tax) towards the two projects. Officials expect $34,000 will be required for fencing at John Ross Commons, and the remainder will go towards the playground rebuild.
Council member Michael Hicks, who is spearheading the Operation Rossville Playground fundraising effort and design selection for the new playground, said the city has already raised nearly $16,000 of the estimated $80,000 needed to construct a new playground. Rossville City Council, in March 2020, authorized demolition of the cityÐÔÊӽ紫ý playground at the city park on Ellis Road because the equipment was dilapidated.
The city will advertise for bids on the project within the next week and hopes to hire the vendor by the end of November. Because vendors have different equipment, the playgroundÐÔÊӽ紫ý design will depend on the vendor selected, he stated.
The selection criteria for the design will include simplicity of install because city crews and volunteers will install the equipment to save on installation costs.
While the SPLOST reallocation will close that financing gap, city officials recognize that the costs of materials have risen since they initially collected estimates, so they are preparing that they may have a shortfall to make up, Hicks explained.
The cow pie bingo fundraiser originally scheduled for last month has been scaled back and will be held in November, he said. Details will be published on the Operation Rossville Playground Facebook page.
Fundraising will continue after the completion of the project to cover maintenance costs, he said.
In 1999 the city raised funds to build and maintain the playground, and it lasted for the anticipated 20-year lifespan of such playgrounds, City Clerk Sherry Foster has said. As the maintenance funds dwindled, the city anticipated the expense of building a new facility.
Catherine Edgemon is assistant editor for the Walker County Messenger in LaFayette, Ga., and the Catoosa County News in Ringgold, Ga.
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