Parks In Bishopville, Newark To Get New Playground Equipment

Parks In Bishopville, Newark To Get New Playground Equipment
A rendering depicts the new playground planned for the park in Newark. Submitted image.

SNOW HILL – Parks in Bishopville and Newark are set to get new playground equipment this summer thanks to grant funding.

The Worcester County Commissioners this week approved plans to purchase new playground equipment for Newark Park and Bishopville Park. The cost of the new playgrounds will be covered by grants through the Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure (LPPI) program.

“These two playgrounds were chosen as they are the oldest ones,” said Kelly Rados, director of Worcester County Recreation and Parks. “Our plan is to replace and upgrade all playgrounds over the coming years based on the order of their age.”

County staff approached the commissioners this week seeking permission to purchase new playground equipment for the two parks from Cunningham Recreation. The prices, $200,000 for Newark and $223,670 for Bishopville, were negotiated through a cooperative contract with Omnia Partners. Omnia Partners is a cooperative purchasing organization that competitively awards purchasing contracts on behalf of itself and its participating agencies, according to the county’s procurement officer.

County staff will be removing the existing playground structures, recycling the materials and prepping the sites in an effort to keep costs down.

Rados said now that the commissioners have approved the purchase, staff will be able to schedule the installation. They’re hoping both playgrounds can be complete by July. Jacob Stephens, parks superintendent, noted that the lead time on equipment was approximately 10-16 weeks but indicated the installations should be in place and ready to use sometime this summer.

He said the playground equipment at Newark Park and Bishopville Park was more than 20 years old, which is why it was targeted for replacement. They would have needed significant repairs if not replaced.

“The new playgrounds will incorporate new innovation to allow for a better play area,” Stephens said.

About The Author: Charlene Sharpe

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Charlene Sharpe has been with The Dispatch since 2014. A graduate of Stephen Decatur High School and the University of Richmond, she spent seven years with the Delmarva Media Group before joining the team at The Dispatch.