New Emerald Palace evaluation belies earlier report

Initially closed in March following an initial report about its condition, Emerald Palace Playground reopened late this summer after construction projects at Robe-Ann Park were complete. The Parks Department is now moving forward with plans to renovate the 23-year-old facility.

Banner Graphic/JARED JERNAGAN

Like Mark Twain and Beatle Paul McCartney before it, rumors of the Emerald Palace Playground’s death have been greatly exaggerated.

That’s the latest report from interim Greencastle Park Director Jason Keeney and an assessment of the 23-year-old wooden playground by Marc Leathers of Playgrounds by Leathers, the company behind the 2001 build in Robe-Ann Park.

The new report is so much better, Keeney told the Park Board at its October meeting, that he threw the first report away.

It was at the March Park Board meeting that the deteriorating condition of the Emerald Palace was first reported with the former park assistant director and director suggesting it essentially needed to be taken down before it falls down.

In the interim months, minor repairs and removal of some offending items have helped prolong the life of that structure whose construction was spearheaded by the Greencastle Civic League and won 2001 Citizen of the Year honors for its three main organizers, Denise Sigworth, Rachel Seipel and Lynn Wilson.

The latest Leathers report noted that the Emerald Palace was built prior to 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design Playground equipment and facilities constructed or altered on or after March 15, 2012, must comply with 2010 standards.

Playgrounds built prior to 2012 require the removal of barriers to accessibility. The current playground was designed prior to accessibility requirements, but the playground was designed with the foresight of the ADA standard, Leathers noted. The requirements are a minimum standard, the report adds.

In conclusion, Leathers reports that the playground has been well used for over the years and is not unexpectedly showing its age.

“Most of the main support posts are in fair condition,” it notes. “The framing is also in reasonable condition for its age. Some of the equipment has some form of maintenance or safety non-compliance concerns.

“The playground has lasted five more years than projected,” Leathers continued. “It is our professional recommendation that the playground could be renovated. This is mainly due to the support poles and framing being in adequate condition for their age, as well as the composite plastics used during its construction.

“At this time, opting for a minor renovation should aim to extend the life of the playground by approximately six-plus years. Preforming a major renovation could extend the useful life for 10-plus years. The timeframes are just estimates based on our experiences and client feedback. Future maintenance, weather and use are all contributing factors.

“The playground is 23 years old so weighing the cost of renovations vs replacement should always be considered,” the report concluded.

Park Director Keeney told the board Emerald Palace repairs involve “seven major things, not tear-down major things.”

Three of those have reportedly already been addressed by park personnel.

The playground surface needs to be made more accessible, Keeney said, while the turrets need to be redone with different materials, the tire swing needs to come down and 23-year-old handrails need to be replaced.

Some slides and swings also need to be replaced after normal wear and tear.

“These are issues but we don’t need to tear it down and start over,” Keeney assured the board. “I’m very encouraged by it.”

Keeney told the Park Board and later the City Council that he plans to invite Denise Sigworth, one of the original Civic League organizers, to a future meeting to further discuss the playground issue.

An Emerald Palace 2.0 Facebook page has reportedly already been initiated by the community for fundraising possibilities.