DAPHNE, Ala. — Visitors to Daphne’s parks will soon see a safer playground and a new gazebo at Centennial Park, which has taken the place of the large oak tree the city lost recently.

The gazebo for Centennial Park was ordered in early January. $12,799 was appropriated for the purchase of the gazebo.

In March, the City Council approved the appropriation of $52,000 for surfacing material and borders for the playgrounds.

“The safety material we are installing is called engineered wood fiber. This all started back a year ago when the city safety committee had a concern about the safety of our playgrounds due to the fact that there was not sufficient use area,” David McKelroy, parks and recreation director, said.

At the recommendation of the safety committee, McKelroy was trained in playground safety. He was sent to the National Recreation and Parks Association Playground Safety Inspector Class.

“I went and I passed the test. The certificate on my wall says I am a certified playground safety inspector,” McKelroy said.

“Based on my recommendation from being certified, that was the first priority of getting the playgrounds back to the guidelines and standards that are recommended.”

All the city’s playgrounds will comply with the safety measures.

 “How much is placed will be based on the height of the equipment. You have to have so many inches of the engineered wood fiber,” McKelroy said. “We are also placing a plastic border called play curb. All our playground equipment will have the play curb installed around it … anywhere from 4 to 10 inches of engineered wood fiber in the use areas.”

All of the material has been ordered and McKelroy said the first park to get the material, Centennial Park, is almost completed.

“Centennial Park is 90 percent complete with the engineered wood fiber. Lott Park, the engineered wood fiber has been delivered and we are in the process of putting the play curb down and then installing the engineered wood fiber. We then anticipate going to Joe Patrick Lewis Park and then Park City, Drive Park and then completing May Day,” McKelroy said.

The exact dates of the projects are unknown, but McKelroy expects each park’s work to take less than a week.

“With no interruptions, it will take about three days. The parks will be closed while it is happening. Centennial was closed for over a week, but it is open now,” McKelroy said.

The gazebo in Centennial Park will be completed in the coming week after concrete was poured on Wednesday. 

McKelroy said the gazebo was suggested after the city lost an oak tree that used to occupy that corner of the park.

“We had a large oak tree in that corner of the park and it had a hole in it and they recommended that it be taken down for safety. The Beautification Committee came up with the thought of having the gazebo and the money was appropriated. We think it will be a nice touch to that park,” he said.