The Duluth City Council recently approved a $486,619 contract for construction and installation of the Taylor Park playable art piece. Three companies provided proposals with the team of ID Sculpture and Bliss Products ranking the highest.
Five trees will need to be removed to install the piece. An arborist has evaluated these trees and determined they are in a decaying state and potentially unsafe for public gatherings. In discussion before the council vote, Councilmember Jamin Harkness, expressed concern that live trees would have to be removed for this project and questioned if the arborist had submitted an official report on the status of each tree.
Councilmember Greg Whitlock also walked the area and felt that the one tree providing the most shade was in the poorest condition. Both Whitlock and Councilmember Marlene Thomas noted the right kind of trees will be planted to provide future shade.
The playable art piece will provide some shade since it is patterned after a Willow tree with a slide, roots and vines for climbing and a triple sail shade structure.
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