City Council approves $214,027 in additional appropriations following weather, construction challenges during community build
The final price tag for Folsom’s rebuilt Castle Park has come in at nearly $1.15 million after wet weather, unexpected construction conditions and additional work surrounding this spring’s massive community build added to the cost of completing the project.
The Folsom City Council on Tuesday approved a series of contract amendments, construction change orders and appropriations that increased the Castle Park Playground Renovation Project budget by $214,027, from $935,201 to $1,149,228. Of that increase, $68,409 represents cash donations already received for the project, while the remainder covers additional contractor work, construction changes and project support costs.
The additional expenses largely grew out of challenges encountered before, during and after April’s six-day community build, when 1,541 volunteers joined city staff, contractors and in-kind service providers to bring the new playground to life. Rain and muddy conditions disrupted the construction schedule, while coordinating a volunteer workforce of that size required more supervision, tools, materials and safety support than originally anticipated. The playground structures could not be fully completed during the scheduled build week, requiring additional work afterward.
Tuesday’s council action essentially served as the financial and contractual closeout of a project that is already built and being enjoyed by the community. Because of the project’s compressed schedule, some of the additional work had been authorized by the city manager and performed before returning to the council. The council’s approval formally ratified those expenditures, authorized remaining change-order work and provided the funding needed to close out the project.
Castle Park, located at 201 Prewett Drive south of Oak Chan Elementary School in the Willow Creek Estates South neighborhood, is a 2.1-acre park with a history stretching back three decades. Its original castle-themed wooden playground was designed by Robert Leathers and built by community volunteers in 1996. After nearly 30 years of climbing, sliding and imaginative play by generations of Folsom children, the wooden structures had reached the end of their useful life and replacement parts were no longer available.
When the city began planning a replacement in 2025, it ultimately chose to preserve one of the qualities that made the original playground special — having the community help build its successor. The City Council initially approved a design contract with Leathers & Associates in May 2025, but directed staff to shift the construction approach to a community build in an effort to reduce costs and accelerate the project. A revised agreement with Leathers was later approved under that model.
In November, the council formally changed the park’s name to Castle Park and approved agreements for playground materials. In January, the city entered into a construction agreement with KYA for site work associated with the renovation, setting the stage for the large-scale volunteer effort in the spring.
When build week arrived in April, community participation was strong, but the weather did not cooperate. Wet conditions turned portions of the construction site muddy and disrupted the planned sequence of work. Drain rock intended for beneath the playground’s resilient surfacing had to be temporarily spread across portions of the site to improve working conditions and later removed before lawn areas could be restored. At the same time, coordinating volunteers with varying levels of construction experience required more oversight and resources than had been anticipated.
Those circumstances resulted in additional costs for both Leathers & Associates and KYA. Leathers provided three additional days of superintendent services during a pre-build phase March 23-25 after city staff and company representatives determined that extra preparation was needed to make sure structural playground elements were properly installed and ready when volunteers arrived.
That pre-build work cost $10,854, while another three days of superintendent services were required May 7-9 after weather prevented completion of the playground structures during the scheduled community build. City employees and skilled volunteers returned to finish construction, with Leathers providing continued oversight for the final assembly. The post-build work added $8,683.20, bringing the two Leathers amendments to $19,537.20 and increasing the company’s total contract to a maximum of $131,106.20.
Additional costs also accumulated under the city’s construction agreement with KYA, with seven change orders totaling $93,260. They covered tree-protection fencing, demolition of an existing concrete curb and installation of sleeves in walkways, removal of two trees near the large playground, additional grading, added poured-in-place surfacing, imported crushed rock and changes to the installation of engineered wood fiber safety surfacing.
The largest individual change order, at $36,960, involved blowing engineered wood fiber into the playground rather than dumping it in place because truck access had become more limited. The change also included an additional 300 cubic yards of material needed because of conditions encountered as the project took shape.
KYA’s original construction contract was $308,309, with a $5,055 contingency, bringing its previous maximum to $313,364. The seven change orders exceeded that contingency and required another $88,205 in funding. Tuesday’s approval increases KYA’s construction contract to a maximum of $401,569.
The project also accumulated expenses beyond its major construction contracts. Those included drills, chop saws and safety equipment used during the community build; lumber, bolts, screws, concrete and other construction supplies; rental costs for an on-site construction trailer and storage containers; and supplies needed to support the volunteer workforce, including water, meals and name tags. The council approved an additional $37,875.80 from the city’s Parks and Recreation Equipment/Capital Fund to cover those expenses.
Community contributions helped offset the additional city funding needed. Folsom received $68,409 in cash contributions designated for Castle Park from community partners including Kids Play for Generations, the Folsom Middle Management Group and Little Folks University. Tuesday’s action formally appropriated those donations so they can be applied to eligible project expenses, reducing the amount that otherwise would have been drawn from the existing parks fund balance.
With Tuesday’s approvals, total funding for Castle Park stands at $1,149,228. Of that amount, $945,618 comes from the Parks and Recreation Equipment/Capital Fund, $135,201 from Measure A and $68,409 from community donations.
The final price tag encompasses considerably more than the playground structures themselves. The city’s project accounting includes approximately $174,791 for design and engineering, $477,125 for construction contracts and services and $497,312 for materials and supplies. Those costs include engineering and surveying, playground design and community-build support, site work, concrete paving replacement, playground inspection and certification, playground construction materials and components, along with tools, equipment and site furnishings such as a drinking fountain, benches, picnic tables and a trash receptacle.
Landscaping and irrigation repairs performed after the project was completed were paid separately through the city’s Park Maintenance Operating Budget and are not included in the $1.15 million project total. With Tuesday’s approvals in place, the city can now formally close out the Castle Park playground replacement project.
The finished park carries forward the castle-inspired character generations of Folsom families came to know at the original playground, while replacing its aging wooden complex with new structures, play features and surfacing. The transformation also preserved something less tangible but equally tied to Castle Park’s history: the community-built spirit behind it.
While the final price came in above the previously appropriated budget, the new Castle Park was once again shaped by far more than contractors and city crews. Much like the playground built there in 1996, its successor became a community project in the truest sense, with more than 1,500 volunteers lending their time and labor to build a new landmark intended to serve another generation of Folsom families.
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