Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include more details about a section of town-owned land related to the proposed expansion of the playground.

The Dillon Urban Renewal Authority, composed of the same members as the Dillon Town Council, approved using $330,000 of its funds for a playground renovation and expansion at the Lake Dillon Preschool on Tuesday, May 13.

Katie Bunnelle, the nonprofit preschool’s executive director, gave a presentation to the Urban Renewal Authority, describing the current playground as outdated, lacking imaginative play opportunities and in some ways unsafe.

Bunnelle pointed out issues — like deteriorating turf, inadequate shade, sand spilling onto concrete and creating a slipping hazard and a pool noodle covering exposed nails on a garden planter — in photos of the current infant and toddler play area, preschool playground and garden.

The preschool envisions a playground that resembles the aesthetic of Dillon Town Park and is made of natural materials that can withstand harsh weather and provide a wide range of play opportunities.

“We strive to be more of a learning center than looking like a daycare,” Bunnelle said. “We take care of the child, not the day.”

Bunnelle said she met the CEO of Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds at a conference in Denver, and the preschool has already worked with Bienenstock to do initial planning and estimate the cost to build a natural playground at the school.

Bienenstock has budget options ranging from $49 to $95 per square foot, so the preschool’s estimated cost for the renovation is between $375,000 and $425,000. Bunnelle told the authority about the preschool’s funding plans outside its Urban Renewal Authority request.

Fundraising streams include a recent silent auction that raised $5,300, an upcoming Mountain Music Monday that will benefit the preschool, a possible Moniker Foundation grant and working with local businesses for monetary and in-kind donations.

Through fundraising, Bunnelle said the preschool could raise $30,000 to $40,000, and if needed, it can contribute $50,000 to $100,000 from its reserves. Bunnelle said installation could happen between August and October if the process runs smoothly.

To expand the playground, Bunnelle said the preschool hopes to use a piece of town-owned land that borders the current play area. Town Manager Nathan Johnson wrote in an email to Summit Daily News that the resolution the Urban Renewal Authority reviewed Tuesday does not grant that access, and the school will have to get an encroachment license or something similar in the future.

Dillon Mayor Carolyn Skowyra asked Bunnelle if the town could get priority waitlist spots in return for helping fund the playground renovation. Bunnelle said she would have to discuss that more with the preschool’s board, but usually the preschool does not do that in the interest of fairness.

Council member Kyle Hendricks asked if the playground could be open to the public after hours and on the weekends, to provide more of a public benefit. Bunnelle said her staff has talked about and been supportive of the idea. 

Dillon Finance Director Mary Kay Perrotti asked Bunnelle if there could be liability issues with allowing the public to use the playground, and she responded that she would need to look into that issue further.

Council member Oliver Luck asked Bunnelle and the other Urban Renewal Authority members if this project aligns with the authority’s goals to remove blight and spur economic development. Council member Barbara Richard said she had also been considering the project’s public benefit.

“This is a great project, and childcare is critically important,” Luck said. “I’m glad that y’all have been around for as long as you have been and have been able to make it, but we just have to be prepared for additional requests from other groups that may not fit into what we historically used (the Urban Renewal Authority) for.”

The Urban Renewal Authority members ended their discussion after Luck’s comments and unanimously approved the resolution to fund the playground renovation.