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Minutes of a Meeting of the <br />North Olmsted Parks and Recreation Commission <br />November 6, 2006 <br />Page Six <br /> <br />recently replaced. Ultimately, the City will continue on with the same ADA improvements and <br />expand over time. <br /> <br />Ms. Jones asked where the diggers would be. Mr. Meyer said the little kidney shape is a curved area <br />in concrete or rubber, and then the twelve inch depth replacing, so there are two types of diggers. <br />One is a seat for fully able children, and one for children to pull up to on the rubber surface and use <br />from a wheelchair and use the handles to dig in if you like sand. <br /> <br />Mr. Emling said that he failed to mention as part of the restroom plan that on the outside of the <br />building there will be ADA drinking fountains, high and low, so that would be a better location for <br />fountains. <br /> <br />Mr. Meyer was asked if the rubber ground could burn. He replied that the only way the rubber <br />surfacing would burn is if a flammable liquid is used, such as kerosene or gasoline or motor oil. So it’s <br />fire retardant. Young teens, if they wanted to do something, could start a fire by scorching with sticks <br />and leaves. Let’s say that’s the worse-case scenario. If someone comes out with a chain saw or box <br />cutter, the material could be cut. It’s fairly easy to repair, however. There are kits that are sold for <br />this; however, e.g., we are now fixing a repair for $300 about the size of a table top (kids ripped it up <br />with tools. That’s rare). <br /> <br />Mr. Meyer was then asked if the posts and other materials were fire retardant. He replied that it <br />would take more than a flammable liquid to get it going – it would have to be a bonfire. <br /> <br />Ms. Jones asked how many trees were being taken down for this project. Mr. Meyer said that, for the <br />playground portion, it would be none. <br /> <br />Ms. Adams had a question as regards wheelchair access to the playground, especially the steps going <br />up toward the slides. Her question was: if it was pulled away a bit, could it actually become a ramp <br />instead of stairs so that someone with a wheelchair could access the level. Mr. Meyer said that he <br />mentioned that the way it is designed fully complies with ADA requirements for accessibility. Mr. <br />Meyer continued that you must allow for wheelchair access; you can’t exceed an eight percent slope. <br />So you have to have a one foot of ramp for each one inch of rods. So if you go up to 44 inches, from <br />12 inches, would require 32 feet of ramp. Ms. Adams said that was what was pointed out to her. She <br />said to forget the wheelchair. She hypothecated that if a mom was with one child in a stroller and had <br />a five-year-old who wanted to go up the steps, she can’t take the stroller up to be there with the five- <br />year-old. If it’s a ramp, that has a greater degree. It would probably be two feet if you just used a <br />space that was there for the three steps, but if you stretched it out for six steps and put a ramp there, <br />it’s still an incline. Kids love to run up and down inclines. With children, you are much more likely to <br />have accidents with steps, so regarding spacing reasons, it seems better to eliminate the steps. Ms. <br />Wenger said it is compliant with the ADA to have the kidney shape with the steps. Ms. Adams said it <br />Page 6 <br /> <br />