Tiger Den repairs move forward; Community group prepares to launch fundraising efforts
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LOCK HAVEN -- With community support and the backing of Lock Haven City Council, the future of the Tiger Den playground is looking hopeful.
On Monday night, council voted to work with Save the Tiger Den community group to try and rehab the park -- which closed later last year due to safety concerns.
Director of Community Life Kasey Dumm said staff and Chris Long, representing the community group, met with Leathers and Associates to discuss possible ways to keep the park from being closed completely.
"We moved forward with asking for an assessment based on community build pricing," Dumm explained, noting contract-built pricing would be double.
The three options included replacing the fall surface with engineered wood fibers, a minor renovation. Dumm said this would cost about $46,000 and have a life expectancy of five to seven years, with 50 volunteers able to complete the work in five days.
The second option would include major renovations at a cost of about $96,000. This rehabilitation would provide, at minimum, 10 years of use at the park and required 80 to 100 volunteers to complete the work in five days.
A complete rebuild of the park would cost about $395,000 and give it a 30-year life expectancy, with work being completed in six days.
"I think overall this was a really good discussion. One thing to note is the price can all be worked out. Everything can be fluid," Dumm added.
Mayor Joel Long noted when the playground was originally built 20 years ago about 1,200 volunteers turned out to assist with the project.
Chris Long said the rehabilitation option at $96,000 seemed like the best of the three options. He noted Leathers and Associates believed the park was in better condition than originally believed and added he feels there is the community support to raise the funds.
"I think there's certainly an appetite in the community," he said.
Long acknowledged the difficulties citizens face with the current economy, but emphasized the community group wouldn't push for large sums of money for donations.
"We're not going to be asking people to give an outrageous amount of money themselves. We'd be looking for small contributions to build up over time," he said. "The worst that happens is we don't get the full amount but we have the back up option to be able to repair the park in the short term."
He added the community group is partnering with non-profit Pennsylvania Chapter Society of Public Health Education to help raise funding.
The plan, at the moment, would be for the non-profit to provide the funding directly to Leathers and Associates for the purchase of supplies and equipment.
City Planner Abbey Kling said the city would simply need to draft a Memorandum of Understanding with the community group to ensure the funding is put towards the project.
Long added if there are any remaining funds, the community group would like it to be allocated for repairs to Tiger Den in the future.
Following discussion, council unanimously approved moving forward with the $96,000 rehabilitation, working with the community group to raise the funding to do so.
Long encouraged those who would like to support the fundraising efforts or the efforts to rehabilitate the park to follow the group on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/savethetigerden.
"We're hoping to get a GoFundMe going soon and have some events in the near future," he said. "Anyone who would like to be a part of that can join us."