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Buckhannon City Park Getting New Playground Equipment Some new playground equipment is on the way to Buckhannon City Park.

City officials said it wants people to find the park useful again.

The playground equipment at Buckhannon City Park is nearly 20 years old. The city removed some of the equipment because it was not up to certified safety standards. It recently received a grant to help purchase new playground equipment to ease those safety concerns.

"We're just trying to make the park safe, number one is to be safe, and number two I think maybe at least as important is that it's usable," said Mayor Kenny Davidson.

Davidson said the city's administrator found grant money for a 50/50 match to order $50,000 worth of playground equipment, which saves them money as well. The equipment has been ordered and should arrive next month, but the city might wait to install it after it completes its sidewalk improvement project.

"Next spring we'll get it installed and we'll have the park open, and its ADA compliant playground equipment, and I think people are going to be very well pleased when we're finished with it," Davidson said.

City officials are also discussing purchasing stand-alone equipment for children with special needs.

"We're having a discussion now about the landing area. We can be very compliant with an artificial wood chip, but there's also some more expensive materials you can put on the ground that we need to discuss," Davidson said.

Parents, grandparents, and city officials said any upgrades to the park will be an improvement.

"We're really needing that for the children of Buckhannon to keep them safer, and keep them entertained and have things to do here in Buckhannon," said Becky Newcombe.

"Parks should be a place for kids to play. We have equipment at North Buckhannon, but we have nothing at city park right now, but we're going to have. Its tubular modern stuff, and they're going to like it," Davidson said.