A playground structure for the Wellness Park to use American Rescue Plan Act funds was proposed at the recent Washington City Council meeting.

Kiwanis AM’ers member Jonathan Ward presented possible designs for a playset that would cost around $300,000, include a poured-in rubber floor, handicap-accessible features, and have a perimeter of 50 by 100 feet. Ward reasoned that this improvement would benefit children’s mental health, and the Kiwanis club is reaching out to other local organizations and applying for grants to help fund the project. The city currently has around $322,000 left to spend of the $1,077,441 they received from the federal COVID stimulus bill.

Parks Superintendent Nick Pacha noted that the city’s parks have been much busier since the pandemic, and he suggested a mulched area next to the proposed playground with tree stumps and other features for older children to climb on. He also proposed using ARPA funds to build a restroom near the Wellness Park soccer fields and trail, since there currently isn’t a publicly accessible facility for those users. The building could also include a concession stand and storage for soccer equipment. No action was taken on the proposals, as they have until the end of the 2024 calendar year to obligate the funds. For more information on how ARPA funds must be spent, visit here.