M E M O R a N D U M

3 M E M O R A N D U M TO: MRA Board of Commissioners FROM: Ellen Buchanan, Director DATE: April 5, 2019 SUBJECT: A Carousel for Missoula – Dragon Hollow Refurbishment & Expansion The Dragon Hollow Play Area is a 6,000 sq. ft. playground in the heart of downtown Missoula. It was built in May of 2001 in nine days by 4,000 volunteers. Upon completion, it was given to the City with the Carousel retaining the responsibility for its maintenance. The playground is now 18 years old and is in need of refurbishment. The Carousel has embarked on a project to make improvements to the current Dragon Hollow to better-than-new condition. In addition, they will be adding a new poured in place pathway throughout the play area and will install play features designed so children of all abilities can play together, making Dragon Hollow a true all-abilities play area. The refurbishment will repair or replace wooden balusters, decking, framing, etc.; replace worn play structures with state of the art equipment; add engineered wood chips; stain and paint components where needed. They will switch to more composite materials and replace old play equipment which will reduce maintenance and increase sustainability. The improvements and expansion of the play area will cost approximately $290,000. Based on a letter from Carousel Director Theresa Cox, they have raised most of the funds needed; however, they are approximately $50,000 short and have requested TIF assistance from the Front Street URD of up to that amount. Work is scheduled to be done by volunteers on May 14 – 20, 2019. The Carousel is aware that there are not adequate resources in that District in the current fiscal year to fund the request and are continuing their fundraising efforts. Based on conversations with MRA staff, Ms. Cox requested to be allowed to Proceed without Prejudice with the understanding that they would request the funding in FY20 if there are adequate new revenues in the District. Rather than proceed in that manner, staff is recommending that the MRA treat the Dragon Hollow request in the same manner as the Missoula Public Library request last May. Based on revenue numbers received from the MT Department of Revenue on several completed or nearly completed projects, staff believes that there will be adequate unencumbered revenue in FY 20 to satisfy this request and the $75,000 committed to the Library with funds to spare. As with the Library, any approval would have to be conditioned 140 West Pine Street, Missoula MT 59802 phone 406.552.6160 fax 406.552.6162 email [email protected] www.ci.missoula.mt.us/mra on the receipt of adequate new TIF revenue and any agreements would be structured in a way that does not constitute debt. In light of the fact that the Carousel is continuing their fundraising efforts, there is a possibility that they will not need the full $50,000. The Carousel and Dragon Hollow are two of the most popular attractions in downtown Missoula. The Carousel has offered free rides for anyone with physical or mental disabilities since the day it opened. Making Dragon Hollow, which is already free to everyone, an all- abilities play area takes Missoula one more step forward toward being a truly inclusive community. Recommendation: Staff recommends that the MRA Board approve a grant of up to $50,000 for the Dragon Hollow Refurbishment and Expansion with the condition that the funding will not be available until there is adequate capacity in the Front Street URD and authorize staff to create a pledge for that grant that does not constitute debt and authorize the Chair to sign the agreement. 140 West Pine Street, Missoula MT 59802 phone 406.552.6160 fax 406.552.6162 email [email protected] www.ci.missoula.mt.us/mra 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 76 3 A A 1 B B C C 4-5-19 ML 3-25-19 ML 3-29-19 ML 3-21-19 ML D D E E 3517 1/8" = 1'-0" 2/28/19 F F CLM, JH, ML S G G E W H H N J J SCHOOL AGED AREA THIS AREA IS DESIGNED FOR K KIDS AGES 5-12 K ADULT SUPERVISION IS RECOMMENDED L L 1 WOODFIBER E 12 16" PROFILE EX TREES BOUNCY YANTZEE COVERED CLIMBING DRAGON TAIL BENCH M WALL M MISTERS CHIN UP FIREPOLE 1 FENCE SOUND BARS E 48 WALL N O N TIC TAC X ROCKWALL TOE O HANGING FROG MISSOULA, MT. PODS PANEL CAROUSEL PARK P RELOCATED P DRAGON HOLLOW PHONE APOLLO WITH TOT EXPRESSION FLOOR SWING Q COVERED MONKEY Q BENCH BARS INCLINE CRAWL TUNNEL 1 WOODFIBER 12 16" PROFILE 3 WHEEL HILL SUSPENSION 31" R SPINNER R BRIDGE 22" STRAP 26" SEATS S RAMP RAIL 22" S 31" RUBBER TOT LOT TEAM 1 FENCE BRIDGE SWING THIS AREA IS DESIGNED DRUMS HILL 48 T FOR KIDS AGES 2-5. ACCESSIBLE T ADULT SUPERVISION IS MERRY GO REQUIRED ROUND 3 POURED RUBBER COVERED EXISTING 12 U HANDTILE WORK BENCH U CRAWL SOUND WALL TUNNEL WALL 3 POURED RUBBER COG PLAN DRAWING 12 ACCESSIBLE PANEL NET GAME TABLE V MAKE 1 FENCE V IT SHORT COZY COCOON COVERED WAVE (BY OTHERS) 48 RAIN SLIDE BENCHES BALL W MAZE W E X E X 3 IN A COVERED DUET E ROW BENCH EXISTING E Y HANDTILE EX TREES Y WALL Z Z AA AA BB BB CC CC 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 76 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 76 1 A A A1 B B C C D D E E 3517 2/28/19 CLM, JH, ML 1/8" = 1'-0" F F CLM, JH, ML S G G E W N H H N J J SCHOOL AGED AREA THIS AREA IS DESIGNED FOR K KIDS AGES 5-12 K ADULT SUPERVISION IS RECOMMENDED L L 1 WOODFIBER E G 12 16" PROFILE EX TREES BOUNCY YANTZEEG COVERED CLIMBING DRAGON TAIL BENCH M WALL M G E G G MISTERS CHIN UP FIREPOLE 1 FENCE SOUND BARS G E 48 WALL E E N O N TIC TAC X ROCKWALL O GTOE HANGING E FROG PODS PANEL MISSOULA, MT. P RELOCATED P CAROUSEL PARK DRAGON HOLLOW E PHONE APOLLO WITH TOT EXPRESSION SWING E FLOOR G G Q COVERED MONKEY G Q BENCH BARS G INCLINE CRAWL TUNNEL 1 WOODFIBER 12 16" PROFILE 3 WHEEL HILL SUSPENSION R SPINNER R BRIDGE E G E STRAP SEATS RAMP RAIL S G S E RUBBER TOT LOT G TEAM G 1 FENCE BRIDGE SWING THIS AREA IS DESIGNED DRUMS HILL 48 T FOR KIDS AGES 2-5. ACCESSIBLE T ADULT SUPERVISION IS MERRY GO REQUIRED E ROUND 3 POURED RUBBER COVERED EXISTING 12 KEY HANDTILE G BENCH U CRAWL G G WORK SOUND WALL ADA DRAWING TUNNEL WALL 3 POURED RUBBER COGTOT KEY (6 MTHS - 24 MTHS) REQ'D ACTUAL 12 ACCESSIBLE PANEL NET 0 0 MAKE GAME TABLE E ELEVATED COMPONENT V E 1 FENCE 0 0 IT SHORT COZY COCOON COVERED ELEVATED ACCESSIBLE BY TRANSFER OR RAMP WAVE (BY OTHERS) 48 0 0 RAIN BENCHES E ELEVATED ACCESSIBLE BY RAMP SLIDE G 0 0 BALL G GROUND LEVEL COMPONENT 0 0 W E MAZE G GROUND LEVEL ACCESSIBLE COMPONENT E G E GROUND LEVEL TYPES PRE-SCHOOL KEY (2-5 YR OLD) REQ'D ACTUAL E N/A N/A X E E ELEVATED COMPONENT 3 IN A COVERED DUET E ELEVATED ACCESSIBLE BY TRANSFER OR RAMP N/A N/A N/A N/A ROW BENCH G E ELEVATED ACCESSIBLE BY RAMP G EXISTING GROUND LEVEL COMPONENT N/A N/A E G N/A N/A Y HANDTILE EX TREES G GROUND LEVEL ACCESSIBLE COMPONENT WALL GROUND LEVEL TYPES N/A N/A SCHOOL AGE KEY (5-12 YR OLD) REQ'D ACTUAL Z E ELEVATED COMPONENT N/A 12 E ELEVATED ACCESSIBLE BY TRANSFER OR RAMP 6 6 N/A 0 E ELEVATED ACCESSIBLE BY RAMP GROUND LEVEL COMPONENT N/A 22 AA G 4 17 G GROUND LEVEL ACCESSIBLE COMPONENT GROUND LEVEL TYPES 3 6 BB GENERAL WHEEL CHAIR TRANSFER PRIMARY ACCESSIBLE ROUTE CC (80" HEAD CLEARANCE) 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 17 YEARS AGO... There was a lot of excitement in Caras Park 17 years ago, when 4,000 volunteers built Dragon Hollow WE NEED Playarea in just nine days. Day-by-day, an enormous dragon emerged from a grassy field as a community YOUR HELP worked together for the good of its children. Now it is time to refurbish and expand the play area We have conscientiously maintained Dragon Hollow so we can continue to serve Missoula and our visitors. for nearly eighteen years, but exuberant use and Please support the “Save the Dragon” campaign by Montana’s weather have taken their toll.

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