The Kensington playground structure will be installed at Red Run Park on Girard Avenue following the Royal Oak City Commission’s unanimous decision Aug. 11.
By: Taylor Christensen | Royal Oak Review | Published August 19, 2025
ROYAL OAK — A new playground structure at Red Run Park has been approved in a unanimous vote by the Royal Oak City Commission Aug. 11.
The Parks and Recreation Department brought forward the proposal to install the Kensington playground structure, a type of structure manufactured by GameTime, at Red Run Park on Girard Avenue.
The structure, according to the agenda packet, is 73 feet by 54 feet. The location of Red Run Park was chosen based on safety and accessibility, cost effectiveness, neighborhood demographics, and minimizing parking disruptions in the area.
VFW Park, on Lincoln and Campbell, was also considered for the structure. The agenda packet says that VFW Park did meet several of the objectives for which the Parks and Recreation Department looked, but it had higher costs and parking challenges.
The city bought the Kensington playground structure for $133,666 through a 50% GameTime matching grant. The structure has remained in storage awaiting a location ever since.
To install the Kensington playground structure at Red Run Park, the city will need to pay $201,491.53.
The city currently has $260,000 budgeted for the construction. According to the agenda packet, to help save money, the city will be leveraging the in-house engineering team for design and bid assistance, which will help the city save $39,000 compared to hiring an external consultant.
The savings will be allocated toward parallel street parking with accessible ramps at Red Run, which would be completed by a separate vendor after the playground installation.
Upon installation, there will also be seven benches that are placed on the edge of the playground line.
Originally, the parks department proposed benches with no backs, but Commissioner Rebecca Cheezum said she would rather see benches with backs.
“The backs did seem to be important, I was thinking about a lot of different scenarios where, it’s a playground, a mom nursing a baby, watching her other kid, she needs a back (on the bench),” Cheezum said.
Nicole McEachern, superintendent of recreation, explained the difference in cost between benches with backs and benches without backs.
“The original benches that we proposed, we asked for seven benches to be brought on with the installation, they were $547 each without backs. With backs, each bench is $1,061,” McEachern said. “The original total for the project was $201,491.53. And the new total with the backs on the benches would be $205,446.65.”
Cheezum also suggested having the benches on the northwest corner of the playground moved closer and turned a little to be facing each other.
“It could create a situation where people can talk to each other a little bit easier. It’s a small change that could have some impact,” she said.
McEachern agreed, saying they can speak with the vendor about that change.
“Great suggestion, I think it’s a small change that can really make a difference,” City Commissioner Melanie Macey said. “I am excited for this playground to be finally put in the ground instead of just in storage. I would have preferred VFW … but it seems our advisory board has come to the opposite conclusion and I respect their decision.”
Mayor Michael Fournier said he thinks this is a good outcome of where to put the Kensington play equipment.
“Not everything is a matter of opinion. There is research, there’s diligence, there’s professional staff that help usher in cool projects into our community. I think this neighborhood will really benefit from it,” he said.
Now approved, playground installation will begin in fall of 2025, according to the agenda packet. Parking, striping and accessible ramp installation will be brought before the Planning Commission in August, and will begin installation in the fall or spring of 2025.