YCUSD to construct new playgrounds, shade structures

Michaela Harris, Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif.
·2 min read

Jul. 5—As part of an initiative to improve facility infrastructure, Yuba City Unified School District (YCUSD) will construct new shade structures and playground equipment in select schools. The YCUSD Board of Trustees approved both projects during last week's board meeting.

Shade structures will be built on six campuses in order to increase student comfort during their lunch periods. Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Scott Bentley believes that these shade coverings will provide students safer options in the face of bad weather and COVID-19 precautions.

"This work will enable the school sites to have additional outside dining in fresh air and also be protected from the sun and rain. This would allow further social distancing of students during meals," Bentley said in a statement.

The Sacramento-based construction company JPB Designs, Inc. was contracted by the district to build these shade coverings. YCUSD gathered cost proposals from five construction companies and decided to partner with JPB Designs, Inc. for its low-cost quote. Construction for the structures has yet to start, but YCUSD estimates that the shade project will be completed in 2023.

Playgrounds at nine elementary schools and one middle school will be replaced with updated equipment. The district received proposals from the playground equipment supplier Park Planet to gauge the cost of improved swing sets, slides and climbing structures. Included in the proposal were plans to replace the floor padding in Barry Elementary School rather than its equipment. The playground fiber will be supplemented with a poured rubber pad because the school's equipment is still in good condition, Bentley said.

Barry Elementary is also among the six schools that will receive a new shade structure.

The total estimated cost for both facility projects is over $9.6 million, a small portion of which will be provided by the district's Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund.

The ESSER funds will cover the building and contracting fees with JPB Designs to construct the shade structures. The project will require $1.85 million to provide appropriate coverings for the selected schools.

The playground renovation projects will require significantly more funds to cover the cost of equipment, construction, shipping and demolition on a total of 10 school sites. Bentley estimates that these projects will have a fiscal impact of over $7.7 million. Because YCUSD relied on a California Multiple Award Schedule, the district did not need to search for competitive pricing for contracting services.

"YCUSD will utilize a California Multiple Award Schedule for the purchase, warranty and installation of these playgrounds, so it is not required to go out to bid for these purchases," Bentley said in a statement.