Stratford Landing ES Playground Shut Down by FCPS Facilities
The first phase of a new playground at Stratford Landing was shut down recently.
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Over the last three years, the Stratford Landing PTA has worked hard to raise $55,000 for playground improvements.
After selecting a design that was met with approval from the Fairfax County Public Schools Facilities Department, this summer the PTA moved forward with installing the first phase of the playground – a new track and climber.
The first phase opened to students on Nov. 9. But now, it is roped off and unusable.
Officials from Fairfax County Public Schools did not respond to a request for comments about the playground.
After installing the first part of the playground, the PTA decided to move forward with the next phase of improvements and called FCPS to get the name of a contractor to inspect the playground.
However, when the inspector arrived, PTA members were met with a surprise.
“He told us he was the only authorized vendor for Fairfax County to install playground equipment,” PTA member Sara Powell said. “The next day, the playground was wrapped in caution tape and off limits to the kids.”
The PTA took action. They asked the manufacturing company to weigh in. The manufacturer reportedly disagreed with county’s requirement and sent a detailed, point-by-point rebuttal.
According to Powell, Fairfax County told them it still didn’t meet their playground safety guidelines and had to come out. The PTA requested Fairfax County provide those specific guidelines, and, according to Powell, they have yet to receive the document.
Last week the PTA met with FCPS. They were told that there were deficiencies and the playground needed to be disassembled, Powell said.
“Their solution is they’ll rip it out and put a new playground in,” Powell said. “They have not committed any money yet. Why is this $35,000 piece of equipment given to the county just going to be thrown away?”
The situation may turn around for the Stratford Landing PTA thanks to the help of Mount Vernon School Board representative Dan Storck, who attended Tuesday night’s PTA meeting.
“The FCPS Facilities department has acknowledged that upgrades to the Stratford Landing playground are necessary in order to accommodate the current school population of 877 students and is working with the school to make that happen,” Powell said in an email to Patch. “There is no immediate plan to remove the new equipment purchased by the PTA. School Board Member Dan Storck attended the Stratford Landing PTA meeting last night to discuss the situation and is committed to working actively to help the PTA achieve a positive resolution with the county.
Kate Van Dyck
10:03 am on Friday, December 21, 2012
Another ridiculous response from FCPS!!! A community supported their school through their own PTA, raised their own funds, HAD THE DESIGN APPROVED BY FCPS Facilities Department and had the equipment installed. Then an inspector sent out BY FCPS claims he is ONLY APPROVED SOLE VENDOR for playground equipment for FCPS and the $35,000 piece should be torn down???? Sole Vendor??? That is not good fiscal practice in any system- private or public! And a huge conflict of interest to have this person also be sent as an inspector! Come on FCPS! Jack Dale is retiring and these types of back door arrangements should retire with him! Thanks to Dan Stork for stepping up to correct this nonsense. The entire School Board should be weighing in on such a lame-brained tactic and clean house. Hang in there Stratford Landing PTA!
Lorna H.
10:11 am on Friday, December 21, 2012
There has never been a time when all students are out on the playground AT THE SAME TIME!!!! Way to waste the parent's money once again. Thanks FCPS for nothing.
T Ailshire
10:21 am on Friday, December 21, 2012
Ludicrous. Yet the voters keep electing the same mentalities for the school board....
LMason
10:05 am on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
It sounds like the County only likes to work with one vendor and when a not-for-profit went and purchased the equipment without bidding it that ruffled some feathers. Any Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) can verify the safety of the equipment. It sounds like they sent in a competing manufacturer to verify the safety of the equipment not a CPSI who then got mad that it wasn't their equipment installed. They then went and complained to the "people in charge" who, instead of truly having the safety of the equipment inspected by CPSI, closed the playground. It sounds like a preferred vendor got his feeling hurt that their equipment wasn't used, which is a shame because the play value and challenge the students gained with the equipment chosen and installed by the PTA now can't be used.