The city says it has chosen to use the rubbery safety material because it offers better accessibility for disabled visitors to the playgrounds. Other cities have decided to use much cheaper options, including Cupertino, which uses tan bark for most of its playgrounds, according to a city spokesperson.
That crushing expense comes as the city’s budget for playground repairs is due to shrink in the coming years.
The parks department told the Standard that it has a limited amount of money for playground maintenance — $950,000 this year, which is slightly higher than usual because of interest earnings from a 2012 bond. In the following two fiscal years, when West Sunset Playground is scheduled for resurfacing, that number will drop to just $750,000.
That amount is part of a $15 million bucket of funds the parks department uses yearly for capital improvements. The playgrounds compete with other fixes, such as paving, irrigation system maintenance, fencing, and other priorities. Rec and Parks manages over 135 playgrounds, and says it repairs up to five annually. The other sites ahead of West Sunset Playground are Upper Noe, Excelsior, Minnie & Lovie, McKinley Square, Yik Oi Huang, Alioto Mini Park, Lincoln Playground, and St. Mary’s Square.
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