Playground at Hynes Charter should be up and running in time for school start in August

A playground for kindergartners and first-grade students should be finished by mid-August, facilities consultant Ken Ducote told the June meeting of the Edward Hynes Charter School board.

The playground, estimated to cost $112,760, should be done by August 18, barring “tremendous rain” or other situations beyond the contractor’s control, Ducote said, adding, “We avoided putting burdens on the project.”

Only one contractor — Vista Design Group — bid on the job by the May 19 deadline, Ducote said. In part that’s because contractors, including Vista Design, are “tied up” with the hospital complex being built in Mid-City, he said.

“Because they’re from the neighborhood, on Canal Boulevard, they kind of felt a tie to school, and did want to do some work on the school as a good project,” Ducote said.

Costs were slightly more than expected, but the result will be a quality product that “reflects the community and offers a real nice, neat playground for kids at that age,” he said.

Workers will replace sand with new fill, adjust drainage, add mulch to make certain areas look “neater,” create a tricycle riding area and install a mini-stage, Ducote said. Custom landscaping added $22,000 to the cost.

The “little” playground is the first part of a two-stage expansion of playground areas at Hynes. The other, for grades one through eight, will be built next.

When they’re finished, the two playgrounds will take up a total of 6,000 square feet, according to school officials.