Architect, consultant differ on prognosis for Wildcat Park

The life of Wildcat Park might have been extended had the wooden play structure been built with the right lumber, according to an architect with the company that build the Corvallis playground.

Marc Leathers owns Leathers & Associates, the nationally recognized firm that has helped communities build more than 1,700 play structures, including Wildcat Park in the spring of 1989, when the company was owned by Leathers’ father, Robert Leathers.

Leathers reviewed a safety analysis of Wildcat Park posted on the district Web site Tuesday, four days after the district suddenly closed the playground citing safety concerns.

Leathers said the company’s specifications to use southern yellow pine for construction were not followed. He said those who constructed Wildcat Park used pressure treated Douglas fir, which doesn’t last as long.

“Douglas fir is not the lumber of choice, so immediately there are some issues of whether it’s going to last as long,” he said during a phone interview.

Many of the play structures built about the same time as Wildcat are nearing the age of needing to be replaced or repaired. For these structures, 20 years is a good lifespan, Leathers said.

But Leathers questions many of the findings in an evaluation of Wildcat Park by Thompson & Associates Consultants, including the conclusion that the park needed to be closed immediately.

Many of the safety problems noted in the consultant’s report could be addressed through maintenance and repairs, Leathers said.

“Maybe there isn’t justification in closing it. I’m not really sure without seeing this stuff,” Leathers said.

Safety issues in the consultant’s report, such as the height of the rings above the deck, the placement of the fire pole and the dispersion of pea gravel, could be fixed fairly easily, Leathers said.

But Corvallis schools officials have already published the safety report in which the consultant concluded that safety concerns could not be addressed by maintenance and trying to do so would make things worse. Now the district has a liability issue, leaving officials with little choice but to close the park, Leathers said.

Leathers said he wished someone from Corvallis would have contacted him for suggestions, but he’s still interested in helping residents repair or replace the park.

When district officials announced the closure of Wildcat on Friday, they said no one from the district had contacted the architect.

District Facilities Director Fred Wright said the district used the Issaquah, Wash., firm recommended by the city of Corvallis, which maintains Wildcat Park.

After learning about the park’s closure, Leathers asked for the school principal’s phone number and said he would call to see if he could help. When Leathers’ concerns were shared with the district on Tuesday, Wright asked for Leather’s phone number and said he would contact the architect.

Leathers & Associates offers maintenance assistance to communities with its play structures. Playground safety standards change almost every few years, Leathers said, and the company works with communities to keep playground structures safe.

According to Leathers company records, the last time it had heard from Corvallis was 2003. Wilson Principal Gerry Kosanovic contacted Leathers, and the company responded by sending materials, including a long-term care packet and information on maintaining the play structure for extended use.

Two years ago, Kosanovic obtained a grant from the Rotary Club of Corvallis to refurbish the park. The volunteer effort and community involvement that started with the design and construction of Wildcat Park continued with upkeep and maintenance, Kosanovic said.

The report by Thompson & Associates said safety concerns at Wildcat Park were not due to assembly of the equipment. In that report, the consultant recommended fixing design problems by removing and replacing equipment, not repair.

“The list of non-compliance issues is not intended to be exhaustive and other violations may exist besides the ones noted here,” the report concludes.

“Good efforts have been made to date that resulted in replacing broken barriers and handrails and supports on certain events. But these efforts will not fix the many concerns that are inherent in the original design specifications of the equipment.”

ON THE NET: To view the safety audit on Wildcat Park, look for the link under the “What’s New” heading at the district Web site, www.csd509j.net. The district is conducting safety audits of all school playgrounds.  Audits and remediation plans will be posted on the Web site as they become available. For more about Leathers & Associates, see www.leathersassociates.com.

Rebecca Barrett covers public policy and education for the Gazette-Times. She can be reached at rebecca.barrett@lee.net or

758-9510.