Cance Park to see upgrades with COVID relief funds

More upgrades are coming to Cance Park in Galesville, this time with the help of COVID relief funds.

The municipality’s council last Thursday voted 5-1 to add just over $48,000 in playground equipment to the park with the use of ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds. Councilor Tom Thatcher opposed the additions due to the large chunk of relief funds in the proposal.

The parks and streets committee sought a new company for the equipment after not being happy with the surcharges and surprise fees from an original bid in the past few months. They got a 20 percent discount for being a municipality from the new company, Miracle Playground Co., too.

New equipment includes a Jax Pack 3, Pegasus bridge, Log Roll, Wake Rider and Bumble Bee and will cost the city $48,354, clerk Jennifer Hess said. The equipment varies in how they are used and were proposed by the city’s parks and sanitation committee.

Some older equipment will be removed if necessary to fit the new equipment, but it could stay if there is enough room for both, especially because the changes will include expanding the play area at the park and adding wood chips underneath the equipment.

Mayor Vince Howe suggested possibly adding a shelter house with a full kitchen at the park in the future, but committee members said nothing similar to that is imminent or planned for now. Council member Linda Skwierawski said the equipment was a good deal financially, adding that she felt they are a good investment for the community.

“We went through the items pretty carefully to try to get the younger children and something that would be pretty unique to our area,” she said.

The Pegasus, which is a rope climbing apparatus, will be part of the additions and one that Howe said his granddaughter has enjoyed when seen at other parks. It would be installed by Miracle Playground Co. while the other new additions would be installed by the city public works department.

The bid was only good for 30 days, according to council discussion. Delivery of the items won’t happen until April, which means the city won’t have to store unused equipment over winter. Payment would not be needed until the merchandise arrives, Skwierawski said.

Part of the money will come from a donation from Zion Lutheran Church earlier this year, and the rest will be paid with ARPA funds. Thatcher took issue with how much ARPA funds would be used on the equipment.

“I’d like to see a whole list of what we’re going to spend the ARPA funds on because I don’t know how this is prioritized with other things that we might use ARPA funds for,” he said.