Davis Park Gets Ready For a Renovation

Call it Extreme Makeover: Playground Edition. Ok, so maybe it isn't all that extreme, but Davis Park is getting ready for an upgrade. Davis Park, as some may know, is the park and playground located in the Edgewood neighborhood between Carman Road and Boulevard. Many parents and caregivers like going to this park because it has a lot of shade. I love it since it's close to my house and gives my kids a place to play without requiring me to shell out cash for a swing set.

According to Suzanne Busby, Superintendent of Parks and Recreation at Scarsdale Village Hall, Davis Park is due for some improvements as it was one of the first playgrounds in town to get new equipment about 20 years ago when national safety guidelines were updated. The equipment has a considerable amount of wear and tear from constant use. The landscaping will not change. No trees will be cut down so the park will stay shady.

Since the park serves families in the community the Davis Park Playground Committee wants to hear from you: Should the playground be geared towards younger kids or should there also be equipment for older ones as well? Are there certain pieces of equipment or playgrounds that your kids have been to that have been simply terrific? Are there things that you think should be eliminated?

The committee is in the idea-gathering phase now and will start meeting with vendors soon.

Resident and head of the Davis Park Playground Committee, Chip Rich explains; “The footprint of the playground is somewhat small and is in close proximity to the surrounding homes, so there are limitations, but we want to make sure everyone has a chance to make their voice heard during this stage of the process, so we can develop and submit a plan to the Village in the fall and get it in the budget for 2012.”

To be sure, a makeover at Davis Park is not a done deal. Busby says while money to renovate the park will be on the 2012 budget, there is no guarantee it will pass. With the tax cap now in effect, unless there is an override of a 60% super-majority vote, there is no guarantee any updates or any capital improvement projects will be included in the budget.

The tax cap debate may have originally centered on the schools, but there is clearly more to it than that. Most residents do not want to see their playgrounds fall into disrepair.

If you would like to share your ideas on how Davis Park should look have your voice heard! Email the playground committee heads Chip Rich at chip.rich@deutschinc.com or Felicia Block at f_liss@hotmail.com by August 10th.

Jen Geller is a freelance journalist who has covered the economy and markets for over a decade at a major financial news outlet. She lives in Scarsdale with her husband and 2 children. Jen has yet to bake a successful batch of cookies.