Pay to play

There’s a sense of urgency in the Purcell Parks & Recreation Department and it all revolves around a playground.

The department applied for grant funding to replace the Rotary Playground at Purcell Lake.

“We were number seven (on the list),” said John Blue, Parks & Recreation director.

However, the grants went to the top four applicants, all of which were for larger projects than what Purcell proposed.

With grant funding out of the picture, Blue is seeking financial commitment from the community.

And the clock is ticking.

The parks board presented three options to the Purcell City Council.

The quoted prices for all three are half-off through October 31. In other words, come November 1, the costs double.

The current price tags are $158,574.46 for option 1, $285,947.66 for option 2 and $181,490.15 for option 3.

Although all are on the table, there is support for option 3, Blue said.

“All are good designs,” he added.

The council will have a special meeting later this month to determine how much the city is able to spare to keep the playground replacement on track.

In the meantime, Blue is putting together a community fund raising plan.

The first step consists of updating the department’s website to include a link through which prospective donors can pledge money.

The upgrade will also include graphics for each option. The community funding drive also solicits donations from civic organizations.