Newport is moving forward with a more than $100,000 rubber playground surface at Mansion Hill Park.
The Newport City Commission approved an agreement with DWA Recreation for a poured-in-place rubber surface as part of the ongoing playground overhaul at 524 E. 3rd St. The agreement is not to exceed $102,326, although Newport Assistant City Manager Brian Steffen said the final cost is expected to be lower.
The upgrade, city officials said, could improve accessibility and safety while reducing long-term maintenance costs.
Steffen said staff recently identified potential savings of about $20,000, which could bring the cost closer to $82,000.
“We don’t have a firm number on that, so treat the number of $102,000 as an amount not to exceed,” Steffen said. “This number will likely come in much lower than that.”
The new surface is the latest addition to a Mansion Hill Park project that began with plans to replace roughly 25-year-old playground equipment that had started deteriorating.
The commission previously approved up to $88,796.98 for new playground equipment from DWA Recreation, at its Aug. 19 meeting. The project received a $48,462.50 matching grant through the 2026 GameTime Community Champions program.
The original playground plan called for engineered wood fiber, or wood chips, around the equipment, but officials were researching rubber surfacing as an alternative. The city has now decided to make the switch.
The approximately 3,715-square-foot rubber surface will be installed over a new compacted stone base. By comparison, Steffen said wood chips included in the previous playground bid would have cost about $17,000.
While rubber carries a significantly higher upfront cost, Steffen said it is expected to last about 20 years, requires less maintenance and can be repaired if damaged. At the potential reduced cost of about $82,000, he estimated the surface would average about $4,200 per year over its expected lifespan.
“We’re really looking at trying to upgrade the look and appearance and feel and the overall quality of our parks,” Steffen said.
Officials also cited accessibility as a benefit because the solid surface will make the playground easier to navigate for people with disabilities. Steffen said wood chips can become displaced, deteriorate and require ongoing maintenance.
Vice Mayor Julie Smith-Morrow said she was initially skeptical of similar surfaces while serving on a school board but saw how well they held up.
“I think the safety issue, though, as far as if a child or an adult falls in this area, is probably a lot more cushion than falling on wood chips,” Smith-Morrow said. “I think it’ll have a good look.”
Commissioner Aaron Sutherland said Mansion Hill could also serve as a test.
“If we like it and it’s working out, then maybe we can do it with future parks,” Sutherland said.
The playground will include two new play structures, one for children ages 2 to 5 and another for ages 5 to 12. The existing swing structure will remain and be recoated and fitted with new swings.
The project is part of a broader effort to improve Mansion Hill Park and create a more cohesive look across Newport’s park system.
