Centre For Local Research into Public Space (CELOS)
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You are on the [cover page] of folder [State Of Good Repair]State of Good Repair
This folder collects material relating to repair and good order on parks. "State of good repair (SOGR)" is used as a funding category for Parks Capital Projects, where it refers to projects over $50,000. But from our point of view, "state of good repair" means things like keeping basic park furniture functional as long as possible. An example of this issue is the fluctuating supply of tables and benches at Dufferin Grove Park:
Dufferin Grove Park outdoor furniture, 2002 to 2010
2009
The count, as of April 10, 2009.
Picnic Tables - 29
Benches
concrete ends with wooden slats - 20
Permanent - 5 (i.e. two around a tree plus three set in cement)
Loose benches
with back (Piper) - 9
without(locker room) - 13
Playground Benches
concrete - 2
permanent (set in cement) - 5
Park Furniture 2010
needs wood
detail
detail
needs paint
whole bench part missing
bench needs a slat and PAINT
From Jutta Mason to Recreation supervisor Dave Hains, May 5 2010
As you can see from this link http://celos.ca/wiki/wiki.php?n=StateOfGoodRepair.ParkFurniture2002To2010, the supply of picnic tables at Dufferin grove has fluctuated from a high of 45 tables to a low of 29 right now (program staff counted last week). Many of those 29 need repair, the sooner the better.
Michelle Webb has held a picnic table painting day for some years. She says she can do it again this weekend (weather permitting). Could you ask Parks to supply the paint and brushes for this weekend, as they have done in other years?
What are the plans for replacing rotting or broken slats (on both the tables and the benches)? If there are no plans, could Parks pay for the wood, so that park users could join with program staff and CELOS to do the repairs?
(Note that last Sunday there were over 500 people in the park in the afternoon. Taking the tables downtown for repair won't work if they don't come back for two months -- at least most of the broken park furniture is still available for sitting).
Wading pools
When "State of good repair (SOGR)" funds are allocated by the Capital Projects Section, it should mean, repairing what's broken, in the most cost-effective way possible. That's not always what happens. An example is the $227,400 spent on the Dufferin Grove Park wading pool renovation in 2008/2009: see the Dufferin Grove Park wading pool renovation diary.
Playground maintenance page
From the Stimulus Fund (RinC) application: ...describe how the project will extend the life of the infrastructure.
Response from City of Toronto Capital Projects: This is a new facility and will be maintained in the future as part of the state of good repair program in order to get the maximum life expectancy this facility is able to provide.