ESCANABA – The Escanaba City Council will consider several agenda items at its regular meeting Thursday, including a proposal to purchase new playground equipment for West Side Park.

The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday at City Hall, 410 Ludington St., Room C101.

City Council members will review a request from Director Kent Dubord of the Escanaba Public Works to approve the purchase of a new play structure and “miniature whirl” at a total cost of $58,710. The equipment would be purchased from GameTime, a manufacturer of outdoor recreational products.

The proposed structure is designed for children ages two- to five-years-old.

Escanaba Public Works received a matching grant through the Michigan Recreation and Park Association from GameTime to help fund the project. As part of the grant requirements, the playground must incorporate six elements of play: swinging, climbing, balancing, sliding, brachiating and spinning. The addition of the miniature whirl would ensure those requirements are met.

Uptoberfest has also contributed $14,900 toward the purchase. If approved, approximately $15,318 would be reallocated from the city’s Parks General Fund to cover the remaining balance.

According to the agenda item, the current West Side Park playground is not compliant with current playground safety standards

“The existing wooden structure, swings and slide no longer meet current regulations and need to be replaced,” Dubord wrote in his request.

Dubord also said his department plans to place the equipment order soon, with installation anticipated this summer. Public Works staff intend to complete the installation in-house.

“This project is part of the city’s long-term plan to someday add a second new play structure at West Side Park, ultimately creating a space that accommodates children of all ages,” wrote Dubord.

In other business, the council will:

– Hold a close-out public hearing on the LeverEdge Chiropractic PLLC Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Council will also receive a final report on the completion of the grant. The CDGB grant provided funding to assist LeverEdge Chiropractic in purchasing fitness equipment and working capital. The business has met the job creation goal of hiring one full-time equivalent employee, according to the city council agenda.

– Consider approval of a resolution for a charitable gaming license for New Life Community Center. The resolution would allow the center to be able to conduct large scale fundraisers.

– Consider approval for the closing of the 100 block of South 11th Street for the annual Radio Results Network (RRN) Block Party on behalf of Mindy Wills from RRN. According to the city council’s agenda item, alcohol will be sold and all local requirements and state LLC requirements will be followed. The event is set to take place July 24 from 4 p.m. to 10-11 p.m. with set up beginning at 6 p.m. the day prior. Tearing down the event will be completed by noon July 25.

– Consider approval of hiring Pemble Concrete to redo the epoxy floors at Public Works for $7,940. Out of two bids, the recommended low bid was awarded to Pemble Concrete to complete the break room, bathroom, hallway and office areas. Pemble Concrete installed epoxy flooring in the office and hallway in 2023, as well as completed the bathroom and break room in 2024. Dubord noted the overall consistency of the flooring has not met expectations and that, although the project is beyond Pemble Concrete’s warranty period, Pemble Concrete has agreed to correct the issues while they are completing the epoxy flooring in the Engineering office.

– Hold the first reading of an ordinance to amend the winter parking ordinance no. 1143 to change enforcement hours from 2 a.m. to 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. According to the agenda, the additional time is necessary to complete plow routes before vehicles begin parking along streets in the winter. A second reading and public hearing of the ordinance is to follow.

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Sophie Vogelmann can be reached at 906-786-2021 or svogelmann@dailypress.net.