DAPHNE, Ala. — Daphne Recreation Director David McKelroy asked the City Council for around $55,000 to help fix some hazardous problems in local parks.

“The safety committee wanted me to bring it to their attention prior to budget time so we could make arrangements to get that corrected,” McKelroy said. “I was just making them aware that we needed some upgrades in our parks.”

McKelroy told the council that use zones — area beneath play equipment that offers padding and cushion to the landing if a child might fall — needed upgrades in five city parks.

Centennial Park, Park City, Joe Patrick Park, May Day Park and W.O. Lott Park are five areas with playground equipment sitting atop use-zone materials that need upgrades. Hundreds of kids populated Centennial Park at the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce’s 22nd Annual Jubilee Festival Saturday and Sunday.

According to McKelroy, use zones are not deep enough and they need to be thicker to meet guidelines and inspections of consumer product safety.

“Eight to 12 inches is required depending on the height of the equipment,” McKelroy said. “We’re at 4 to 6 inches in most places.”

McKelroy suggested engineered wood-fiber product, which he called “the second most desired use-zone material next to the rubber use-zone material, which is fairly expensive.”

Wood fiber is barkless, virgin timber. It looks like mulch.

Some use zones have engineered wood fiber and some have pea gravel, McKelroy said.

“Pea gravel is an adequate use-zone material,” he said. “You would need more sand or pea gravel than engineered wood fiber.”

Wood fiber is also in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, McKelroy said, while pea gravel and sand are not.

The recenly revamped May Day Park has the appropriate amount of wood fiber, McKelroy said, but older slides and play areas at the park need use-zone upgrades.