Bovina Playground Uplift Coming

Bovina Town Playground at the corner of County Highway 6 and Maple Avenue. Photo by Mary A. Crisafulli

By Mary A. Crisafulli

BOVINA - The Bovina Town Council is working to update the existing playground at the corner of County Highway 6 and Maple Avenue.

The playground was renovated in 2000 but needs some upkeep, said project lead and Councilmember Jillienne LaFever. "Originally we thought we were going to remove all equipment and start over," she said, "However, we found that not to be necessary (after reviewing state codes)."

Pending funding security, work will include new fencing, surface excavation, and structural updates to existing equipment.

Excavation includes the removal of bark mulch to be replaced with engineered wood fiber with a geotextile fabric base layer. During excavation, a 4-inch curtain drain and stone will be installed along the perimeter leading to the manhole on County Highway 6 to help with drainage.

The fence will be removed but the stone pillars remain in place for reuse. A 42-inch cedar Bennington-style fence is proposed with two polyurethane coats and one 4-foot single swing gate. The current playground has two entry gates one along County Highway 6 and another near the parking lot. The door along the highway will be removed to prevent children from running into traffic.

Other repairs include replacement of all four jungle gym platforms with pressure-treated wood, the replacement of the balance beam, new cedar roofing for covers, caps for uncovered posts, and repair to one low pull-up bar post. The wiggly bridge will be replaced with a solid flat bridge level with platforms. All wooden surfaces will be sanded and stained with a clear coat of playground-compliant stain.

The park benches will be replaced as well, however, LaFever said it is undecided if they will be wood again or ones constructed of a longer lasting material.

The comprehensive plan survey indicated that a majority of residents wanted to keep the playground where it is with replacement of some equipment and the fence, said LaFever. "I have personally spoken with a lot of people in Bovina, and most love the quaint, non plastic look of the existing playground, so our mission is to keep that feel," she said.

While no official committee was formed for the project, LaFever consulted with local architect Brook Denison of D & H Architecture and SUNY Delhi professor. Denison assisted in reviewing the public playground safety handbook and assured renovations were compliant. LaFever also consulted with local carpenters, contractors, local mothers, NY Public Playground Safety Insurance Inspector, and the town council. "All provided thorough review and feedback that helped assess what needed to be renovated and assisted me with designing the scope of the project," explained LaFever. "We are all very excited for the renovation," she concluded.

The project is planned for construction in spring of 2025 with excavation in April and carpentry and fencing in May.

The board is seeking RFPs (requests for proposals) for carpentry, fencing, and excavation. A mandatory meeting for potential bidders is scheduled for July 29 led by LaFever and Denison. All bids are due by noon on Aug. 5. For more information contact Clerk Catherine Hewitt at 607-832-4302 or LaFever at 607-832-4815.

Once the council has the bids, LaFever said they will have a better idea of project cost and budget. The council plans to apply for a matching grant through the O'Connor Foundation which has a maximum of $300,000. Bids will be reviewed at the next regular board meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 13 at 6 p.m.