For $120k, Agnor-Hurt had best have a great playground. I’d love to see a cost breakdown here. #
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
Sideblog
Police announced this afternoon that their investigation into what was initially believed to be a fatal fire on Rugby Avenue is now a homicide investigation. #
The Virginia Supreme Court has denied George Huguely’s appeal. His second-degree murder conviction will stand, WRIC reports. #
In a carefully worded story, and not citing specific sources, WTVR reports that forensic evidence belonging to Jesse Matthew Jr., the main suspect in the disappearance of Hannah Graham, matches forensic evidence collected during the investigation of Morgan Harrington’s 2009 murder. #
In the wake of Hannah Graham’s disappearance, and the evidence that came from private security footage, city officials are revisiting the question of installing security cameras on the downtown mall. #
Both Charlottesville Registrar Sheri Iachetta and former Electoral Board member Stephanie Commander have turned themselves in to the police on
foursix and four felony counts of embezzlement, respectively. #Ten years ago, the National Institutes of Health budget doubled and schools like the University of Virginia built massive new research facilities. A decade later, those buildings remain largely underutilized. NPR visits UVA in this story on the effect of federal binge and spurge spending in the sciences. #
In 2012, Council approved a new student housing complex on West Main—now some council members are questioning whether what they were shown matches what was built. #
The Architectural Review Board has approved a bike-themed mural on West Market, below the McGuffey Art Center, although at least one member expressed concerns that it might look like the bicyclists were riding away from Charlottesville’s downtown. #
City Police Chief Tim Longo is meeting with city leaders to work on protocols regarding the use of military surplus police weapons in Charlottesville. #
A 100-year-old Colonnades resident received military honors for her service in the WWII Women’s Army Corps #
-
Archive for Sideblog »
Watched the NBC29 vid. Sounds like a Huge amount of BS to me.
I would like to know who was paid to provide that playground and what if any connections they may have had to local government, or educational agencies.
120k is an obscene amount of money for the playground I saw in the background of that vid.
And the claim that the old stuff was unsafe? When did that happen? It was safe enough when they decided to install it way back when, so age shouldn’t have just made it unsafe. IF it was unsafe now then it was unsafe when they initially installed it.
Heads should roll.
I think the breakdown would reveal that the swing set had to be put together with five-hundred dollar hammers…
Ease up folks and look on the bright side, that’s a bargain compared to what the city would have paid for the same thing.
One of my biggest concerns, other than the seemingly-exhorbitant cost is that there doesn’t seem to be parity between the playgrounds …
This summer I drove past my old school and noticed that some of the playground equipment from when I started first grade was still in use. I don’t want to give away my age, so let’s just say that jungle gym won’t see 40 again.
Didn’t they spend around $650K to redo McGuffey Park? Sounds like these were a steal.
I’d like to see the itemized breakdown for a playground as well. Shouldn’t that be public record? I have no problem with them redoing playgrounds as some of the equipment out there is very old and dilapidated but I find it hard to believe it should cost so much.
From Jim Duncan’s link: “The set of components for the Crozet playground was decided upon by a Committee established by the previous school principal. The Committee consisted of Karen Marcus, previous Principal, Bob Crickenberger from the Albemarle County Parks and Recreation Department, the consultant from the Playground Equipment vendor and one staff member from Crozet Elementary School.”
Who else thinks its a bad idea to have a representative of the equipment vendor on the committee deciding which equipment to buy??
Why isnt the consultant named? Are they a retailer, wholesaler or manufacturer? Did they really decide who to buy this equipment from before they decided which equipment to buy???
Also:
All of the components of the new play set at Crozet Elementary are designed for the same age group, and can accommodate 77 children.
Crozet Elementary’s playground set was replaced at a cost of $120,000.
Brownsville’s school capacity is 716, so the Brownsville set was designed for 145 children in order to accommodate the school’s larger capacity.
The cost of the Brownsville set was $121,000
360k for playgrounds but they can’t pay a 6k light bill for Lane baseball or put lights on the fields at Darden Towe?
What were the materials used in the old playstructures?
Just curious. CCA wood structures are being phased out just about everywhere in favor of less toxic, easier to maintain materials.
Crozet’s playground does look piddly small. :( It’s good to remember that elementary school playgrounds often serve as local parks after hours or during the summer and other school breaks. In the county, there aren’t too many non-school public playgrounds available.
Without a deeper look into the costs, I can say one thing: any time you have to go to a commercial level equipment, its gets very expensive very quickly.
I have three food processors, and the cheapest goes for just over $1000.00
My blender is over $500.00
My coffee machine over $3500.00 when new.
Stuff that has to last for a long time under big abuse is pretty expensive.
Hey danpri!
I hear you man. To put it in context:
Commercial grade red rubber ball: $2700.00
Commercial grade tire on a rope: $3600.00
Commercial grade stick and some dirt: $1050.00
You know, all these precious little snowflakes are just too damn expensive. If only they could somehow play without some sort of overwrought, primary colored, plastic erection that has been rendered so “safe” by whinging, litigious parents that they are no longer even fun anymore. If only they were happy to just be out of class and to be able to run around and get a bit tired out before they have to go back to their box o’ learning.
Box o’ learning? Say, that gives me an idea! So a playground on the low end (brownsville, above) costs $121,000 and that serves 145 kids? What if they just bought 145 X-Box 360’s? At roughly $200.00 a pop, assuming no quantity discount, that gives us a total tab of $29,000. Assuming roughly $12,000 for internet connectivity that yields us a saving of $80,000, which should be more than enough to illuminate every scrap of open space in the whole area! Mini Vegas baby!
Besides, I hear that “Recess 2.0: Dodgeball Doomsday” is an awesome game with killer graphics.
/not sure what my point is, but I trust I will have all your votes when I run for city council.
belmont, yo – You know you’ve always got my vote baby. We’ll work out the details after the poker game. Don’t forget your box of “cigars.”
I nearly forgot, thanks for the “good word” you put in for me. I did get that contract to put up those new commercial grade signs downtown. I just hope no one starts asking questions about what that cost! After the CAT fiasco, people are getting a little edgy.
I have to agree with ****, it’s time for the people in government to realize an employee for a vending company is not a “consultant.” He is a salesman. RWSA, for example should have considered Gannett Fleming (I’m not changing the subject, just showing how ridiculous it can get) a vendor of dam-building services. Then we shouldn’t have gotten a $223M estimate for dredging since they do not perform that kind of work. This is why I constantly say the people we elect are not qualified to be effective in office. Perhaps they ought to have a two-stage RFP – one to hire the consultant and the second to hire the vendor. Of course those who apply to become the consultant would not be able to apply to follow up with an application to become vendor.