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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 for Missoula – Dragon Hollow Refurbishment & Expansion

The Dragon Hollow Play Area is a 6,000 sq. ft. playground in the heart of . 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 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 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 CC BB AA W M Q G D C U H V S B R N K A P Y Z E F X T L J 2 2 4 4 6 6 8 8 10 10 12 12 THIS AREA IS DESIGNED ADULT SUPERVISION IS FOR KIDS AGES 2-5. 14 14 TOT LOT REQUIRED 16 16 18 18 20 20 22 22 DRUMS 24 24 RAMP RAIL CRAWL TUNNEL 26 26 SOUND WALL 28 28 IT RAIN MAKE 30 30 12 1 32 32 16" PROFILE WOODFIBER HANDTILE EXISTING WALL 12 3 RUBBER BRIDGE ROW POURED RUBBER 3 IN A 34 34 SLIDE SHORT WAVE BENCH COVERED 3 WHEEL SPINNER HANDTILE EXISTING WALL TOE TIC TAC 36 36

O X O 38 38 SOUND WALL

BENCH COVERED NET 40 40 MONKEY BARS CLIMBING WALL DUET 42 42 BRIDGE SUSPENSION 44 44 BARS CHIN UP DRAGON TAIL BOUNCY SCHOOL AGED AREA THIS AREA IS DESIGNED FOR E ADULT SUPERVISION IS 46 46 (BY OTHERS) COZY COCOON 12 KIDS AGES 5-12 RECOMMENDED 1 HANGING PODS HILL 16" PROFILE RELOCATED PHONE WOODFIBER 48 48 12 3 POURED RUBBER 50 50 YANTZEE FIREPOLE HILL MAZE BALL E GAME TABLE ACCESSIBLE 52 52 INCLINE CRAWL TUNNEL ROCKWALL BENCHES COVERED MISTERS ROUND MERRY GO ACCESSIBLE 54 54 BENCH COVERED FLOOR E APOLLO WITH 56 56 FROG PANEL EX TREES 58 58 E E E 60 60 PANEL COG WORK EX TREES 62 62 BENCH COVERED 48 1 SEATS STRAP FENCE SWING TEAM 64 64 66 66 48 31" 22" 26" 22" 31" 1 SWING FENCE TOT EXPRESSION 68 68 70 70 72 72 48 1 FENCE 74 74 76 76 CC BB AA W M Q G D C U H V S B R N K A P Y Z E F X T L J

E CLM, JH, ML DRAGON HOLLOW 3-21-19 ML 2/28/19 3-25-19 ML

N 1 PLAN DRAWING CAROUSEL PARK S 3-29-19 ML 1/8" = 1'-0" MISSOULA, MT. 4-5-19 ML 3

W 3517 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

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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. donating and by volunteering to help in May. FUNDRAISER FOR THE REFURBISHMENT AND EXPANSION OF DRAGON HOLLOW PLAY AREA Leathers & Associates, the playground architectural firm that designed Dragon Hollow, has performed an assessment and has recommended an extensive refurbishment of the play area. In addition to restoring the play area to better-than-new condition, we will expand 50 feet to the west to add features that will welcome children of all abilities. All of this will take place in May of 2019, at an estimated cost of $290,000. While the City of Missoula is a good friend to the CONTACT Carousel, and will provide a portion of the funds If you would like to learn about components needed for this work, the Carousel is not a City in the play area that are available for entity. We do not receive any operating funds from sponsorship, or have other questions about any city, state or federal government, or from an the project, please call (406) 549-8382. umbrella organization. The Carousel Foundation maintains the Carousel and Dragon Hollow at its If you are ready to commit, please complete the expense, with the help of our supporters. sponsorship form and return it to:

A Carousel for Missoula Donate to A Carousel P.O. Box 3345 for Missoula to keep Missoula, MT 59806 Dragon Hollow alive!

A Carousel for Missoula Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, is responsible for the refurbishment and expansion, so your contribution is tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. PLAY FOR SAVE THE DRAGON ALL ABILITIES DONATION &

Our dreams for ALL children include: VOLUNTEER FORM

Adding a rubberized pathway throughout Dragon Name Hollow to allow easier access by wheelchairs to existing play features, and new inclusive elements Address such as: DONATE TODAY! City, State • A cozy cocoon where children with autism (and others) can retreat from the crowd Save the Dragon for a new generation. Phone • A large, cable jungle gym that spins

• A merry-go-round that can accommodate Email two wheelchairs $ 290,000 I would like to volunteer during the work period • A net swing to provide extra support ESTIMATED COST in May. Please contact me with details as we get • A slide where two can ride side-by-side, by MAY 2019 closer to the dates. accessed by a climbing slope rather than steps

• A swing designed so two can ride face-to-face Amount of Donation*

• Activity panels and musical instruments Please make checks payable to A Carousel for Missoula Foundation, Inc, and mail to P.O. Box 3345, Missoula, MT 59806.

To pay by credit card, please provide the following information:

Name as it appears on the card

Card Number REFURBISHING Expiration Date Code • Replace wooden balusters, decking, framing, fencing, • Add EWF to correct transition between accessible ramps handrails, handrail posts and maze cubes with low and playground transition and fix separation areas at Billing Zip Code maintenance recycled structural plastic where needed. wheelchair accessible ramp. Add additional engineered wood fiber throughout. • Replace the spiral tube slide, wave slide, swing set, Signature horizontal ladder, ring bridge, chin up pipes, chain • Stain and paint where needed. climbing wall, fire pole, crawl tunnel, balance beam on • Tighten screws and nails throughout the play area. THANK YOU! chains, musical instruments, tic-tac-toe boards, sound wall and phone systems. • Make necessary repairs to the cargo net, roofs and towers, *If you would like to make a large donation in two benches and other seating areas, suspension bridge, installments, or if you are interested in finding rubber bridge. out what play area components are available for sponsorship, please call Theresa at (406) 549-8382.