City addresses questions over Butler Children’s Park upgrades

After city work crews began removing playground equipment at Butler Children’s Park on Broadway in West Plains, parents and other concerned citizens took to social media, questioning the timing and cost of replacing what appeared to be usable equipment. On Thursday, city officials explained on the city's Facebook page that the construction is part of a capital improvements plan funded by capital improvements tax. At the council’s regular monthly meeting Monday night, City Administrator Sam Anselm acknowledged the timing was not ideal, but explained a limited number of qualified equipment installers leaves the city “at the mercy” of the installer’s schedule. Addressing questions about donating the equipment rather than scrapping it, Anselm said issues such as age and design pose liability risks if injuries were to occur on donated equipment, adding that scrapping old structures is standard procedure. Anselm conceded city officials could have done more public outreach and provided a clearer expectation prior to launching the project. The equipment being replaced is about 20 years old. Other sections of the park remain open, including a splash pad and an inclusive playground installed about three years ago. By contrast, those previous improvements were preceded by public engagement, including a vote on the splash pad theme.