Arp challenges with statement from company
The City of Blue Ridge’s downtown park is not up to code, according to Councilman Mike Panter.
“When the city built the playground a few years ago and added all the big, nice stuff, we’re not up to code,” he said during a Tuesday, October 6, workshop.
The previous council was behind the playground’s upgrades.
Due to the height of the equipment, rubber padding is needed, but the city only has mulch, he said.
Former councilwoman Angie Arp disputed the claim saying that the company, Halsey Recreation, Inc., who worked on the park said there were no problems with the mulch and offered the company’s phone number to Panter, which he said he would like.
Panter said he’s talked with five other company’s, met with three of them, and they’ve all agreed the park does not comply with regulations.
In an email from 2016 between Halsey Recreation, Inc. and Arp, Sales Consultant Eric Halsey explained that, in order to comply with state and ADA guidelines, they would install 12 inch plastic borders and 12 inches of mulch “to cover the fall height of the spiral slide.”
It is possible the regulations have changed since the playground was last updated.
Panter has been working on incorporating synthetic grass in the park, which is how the discovery came about.
He added that a drain must also be put in place.
While discussing when to make the changes to the park, Panter suggested waiting until November to which Downtown Development Authority Chairman Cesar Martinez said he didn’t think the city can wait considering they’re out of compliance.
“I do agree if you could get it done before Light Up, even though we won’t have Light Up, you’re gonna have thousands of people in town that weekend,” Martinez said.
However, the company is unable to begin for another two weeks.