FOLSOM, Calif. — Folsom is considering using $1.1 million of its emergency reserve fund to make renovations to a popular park in the city.
The city’s emergency reserve fund, informally referred to as the “rainy day fund,” totals approximately $23.79 million, according to City Manager Elaine Andersen’s budget presentation to Folsom City Council on May 28.
Andersen suggested using $1.1 million of the fund for the renovation of Kids Play Park, also known as Castle Park, on Prewett Drive. The council will consider the complete budget proposal, including the park renovation portion, at its June 11 meeting.
“My husband, children and I, along with so many Folsom families…have spent many happy hours there going back nearly three decades,” Andersen said during her presentation. “This park is close to 30 years old…but, that is 15 years past its recommended life cycle.”
Despite many years of maintenance, including custom modifications to keep the park functional and safe, the city has reached a point now where it just removes key components once they wear out, Andersen said.
Park staff have reportedly removed about 40% of one of the playground’s structures, she said.
“We recognize the urgent need for renovations and repairs within our parks and facilities, but with very constrained resources, those renovations are not possible without digging into the city’s emergency reserve,” Andersen wrote in the proposal.
For the first time in over 20 years, this year’s budget proposes to use the emergency reserve outside of a recession in order to fund four high-priority projects, the proposal says. Including the park, the emergency fund projects also include:
- $498,000 to replace the kitchen equipment, tables and chairs at the Folsom Community Center.
- $80,000 to replace malfunctioning doors and the lighting control system at the Folsom Public Library.
- $60,000 for the replacement of the city’s primary data storage system in the information systems department that has reached the end of its life.
The proposed emergency fund use then totals $1.7 million. The entire proposed budget city council will deliberate June 11 totals $117 million.
Kids Play Park was built in 1996. It features web-like rope ladders, giant tires, a rubber bridge and a wooden, fortress-like playground resembling a castle.
