Butler Holmes Park Improvements Survey
When Arlington County staff came to a Penrose Civic Association meeting to discuss the Phase II improvements for Butler Holmes Park, some community members asked if the tot lot could be fenced so that young children could not easily enter or exit. Others in the community preferred that the tot lot remain open so that children could run freely in the park and take advantage of the open space. The majority of Butler Holmes Park is enclosed by a split rail fence that provides a visual buffer but is not an actual barrier between the park and its surroundings. It was decided to present both options at a later date and let the community vote. Staff has prepared two options for the tot lot, one featuring a sold steel fence and gate and one with no fence but with a raised, vegetated buffer and a seat wall along one side.
There are pros and cons to both options. If the tot lot was not fenced, park goers could take advantage of the park’s open space. The tot playground could also be slightly bigger and have a few more play features as the County would have additional funds from not purchasing the fence and gate.
If the tot lot was fenced, young children could not easily get in and out of the tot playground area. The tot playground would be slightly smaller and have fewer play features to accommodate the additional cost of the fence and gate. Below are drawings of the two options. Please review the options and vote accordingly.
Option A has no fence. The tot lot will be separated from 1st Road S, a dead end street, by a raised, planted area and a seat wall. Children can freely run into and out of the tot lot and take advantage of the park’s open space. The tot lot would be slightly larger and have more play features than in Option B due to the cost difference.
Option B has a solid steel fence with gate to contain children within the tot lot. The tot lot would be smaller and have fewer play features to accommodate the additional cost of the fence and gate.
Should the Existing Bulletin Board/Kisok be Replaced? The project scope includes replacing the existing kiosk. As kiosks are customized, they are a significant cost of a project. A single kiosk is approximately equivalent to 4 or 5 benches in terms of cost. We would like to make sure that project funds are spent on items that will actually be used. If the kiosk is not replaced, we can use the funds on other improvements such as additional planting or park furnishings.
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