October 5, 2017

The Ahrens Park Foundation is embarking on a $1 million multi-phased project to upgrade Ahrens Park. The foundation is seeking contributions from the community in order to qualify for grant funding. The first phase, replacement of the park’s two playgrounds, is planned for spring of 2018.

“The Ahrens Park Foundation has been working for several years now, identifying capital improvement needs at Ahrens Park,” says Julie Gosselink, assistant treasurer of the Ahrens Park Foundation. “We’ve identified close to $1 million in capital improvement needs because the park is now close to 25 years old. Things are needing replaced or improved.”

“That’s a big burden placed on the Ahrens Park Foundation to take care of all of those capital needs,” Gosselink continues. “We felt that it was time to do a fundraising campaign, and the most ideal project seemed to be our playground areas. The playground needs are the most important to the community, and we wanted to take care of those first. Handling other needs will come over the next few years.”

Gosselink notes that the expected life of playround equipment is about 25 years and that parts are no longer being made for most of the playground equipment in the park. She adds that the equipment was made and installed before all regulations requiring compliance with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) came into effect.

The park has two playgrounds, one for younger children adjacent to the Grinnell Community Daycare and Preschool and another for older children in the central part of the park. The equipment for older children was removed during the summer of 2017 due to concern about ongoing safety of the equipment.

Gosselink explains that removing the old equipment and installing new equipment, including a safe play surface, will be Phase I of the improvement initiative. That phase is estimated to cost $432,000. The equipment will be purchased from Miracle Playground Equipment Company, the company Claude and Paul Ahrens made into an industry leader.

During Phase I the rest of the existing equipment will be removed, and new equipment will be installed. Gosselink says the new equipment will be different from the existing equipment, each playground will be expanded and provided a safe play surface, and the new equipment will be ADA compliant.

The Claude W. and Dolly Ahrens Foundation has pledged $185,000 toward the Phase I cost, and the park has in-kind contributions from park staff and other volunteers to cover the cost of removing old equipment and installing the new. Cost of removal is estimated at $20,000, and the cost of installation is $77,000.

Those gifts and pledges total $282,000, leaving another $150,000 to be raised.

Gosselink says several foundations in Iowa and the midwest have grant funds available for improving playground equipment and safety, but all require the organization requesting a grant to show community support by raising funds through gifts and pledges from individuals, businesses and companies in the community.

The Ahrens Park Foundation several months ago set a goal of raising $75,000 in gifts and pledges to show community support and draw grant funds. Thus far, the initiative has raised $45,000 and needs only $30,000 more to have the necessary community support for grant applications. Gosselink is confident that $75,000 in grant funding can be secured once that amount of community contributions is given or pledged.

The Ahrens Park Foundation plans to remove the playground for younger children and to replace both playgrounds in the early spring of 2018.

Gosselink notes that a large part of Phase 2 of the $1 million park upgrade plan will be to re-surface the park’s parking lot, also showing its age.

She adds that a third playground is in the early planning stages, to be created near the other two playgrounds and to consist of a sensory playground with natural playscape features. Sensory playgrounds, she explains, are a way to insure that all children have a place to play in the park. The new playground will provide unique sensory experiences for children on the autism spectrum, creating a place where they can play independently if they wish without being too near kids who are being rowdy and loud and potentially causing over-stimulation.

Costs and schedule for Phase 2 projects and a plan for the third playground have not been finalized.

A fund called the Ahrens Park Improvement Fund has been established at the Greater Poweshiek Community Foundation (GPCF). Anyone can donate by gift or pledge, including multi-year pledges, and donors who give $5,000 or more will be recognized on a permanent donor sign near the playgrounds.

Those with questions can contact Gosselink at [email protected] or Nicole Brua-Behrens, president of the Ahrens Park Foundation, at [email protected]. Both can be reached by calling (641)-236-5518.

Gifts and pledges can be mailed to GPCF at P.O. Box 344, Grinnell, IA 50112. Please download the playground campaign flyer and donation form by clicking on this picture.

Ahrens Park Playground Donation Form