Shorewood board commissions study of proposed Atwater play equipment

Following a two-hour discussion Monday, the Shorewood Village Board voted to conduct a study, not to exceed $5,000, of the impact of the playground equipment being proposed at Atwater Park.

Several board members have expressed questions about the overall effort, particularly a slide that has been proposed near the bluffs at the lower level of the park. The study will examine the environmental impact, address safety concerns and is designed to determine whether the slide and other playground equipment will impact the structural stability of the bluffs.

Other features of the proposed playground include a patented double arch swing that puts a new spin on traditional swing sets, a rotating net structure that offers children a safe environment to climb and a device known as the spinner round.

Members of the Friends of Atwater Beach, a grass-roots organization in the community, have been working with the village to install updated playground equipment in the lower level of the park. The organization has pledged to donate the equipment, set it up and provide landscaping.

The entire project, as proposed, carries an estimated price tag of nearly $90,000.