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<br /> ~~r <br /> Public Works <br /> Engineering <br /> City of Eugene <br /> 858 Pearl St <br /> Eugene, Oregon 97401 <br /> (541) 682-5291 <br /> (541) 682-5032 FAX <br /> February 21, 2006 <br /> Northwest Playground Equipment, Inc. <br /> Attn. Bob McGarvey <br /> P.O. Box 2410 <br /> Issaquah, WA 98027 <br /> Subject: Weeping Water for Eugene, Oregon Riverplay at Skinner Butte Park, Job 4151 <br /> Dear Bob, <br /> I am writing regarding our recent experience specifying and installing a Water Odyssey piece from your <br /> firm for the City of Eugene's RiverPlay playground project at Skinner Butte Park. The piece we specified is <br /> the Weeping Water with wireless activator button. I worked with Paula Gorenson, your local representative <br /> at the time, to specify and put together the construction drawings for the installation of the product. <br /> During the design for this component of the playground, I asked Paula several times about what we would <br /> need to install the product and it seemed remarkably straightforward. According to her, and the documents <br /> she sent me from Water Odyssey (see attached), all I needed to show was a water supply line, a footing for <br /> the fountain component, and a drainage system. The product looked to be a stand alone battery operated <br /> device. I specified the product in the contract documents and the general contractor was to purchase and <br /> install the device as part of the overall construction of the playground. <br /> However, when the Weeping Water play component arrived on site, there were several additional parts that <br /> we had no idea about, including the central control and antenna components. At that time, Adam Steffen, <br /> the project inspector, did more research and had Paula come out to the site. It toms out that Water Odyssey <br /> should have been involved in doing a site specific design as part of the purchase process and this was never <br /> mentioned to us nor was it done. As a result, there were many additional hours of time spent in the field <br /> troubleshooting and making sure that the product would operate properly upon completion. When Paula <br /> visited the site during construction she acknowledged that there had been omissions on the part of <br /> Northwest Playground Equipment and that you would do whatever it took to make it right. <br /> It took 30 hours of Adam Steffen's time during construction to redesign the water and electrical systems on <br /> site to properly accommodate the water feature operation and antenna system. This time included fact <br /> finding, meeting with the contractor, meeting with Paula, and ultimately determining the control wiring and <br /> valuing needs for the Weeping Water feature. <br /> Had this design work been completed prior to putting the project out for bid, we would have spent five <br /> hours sorting out the particulars of the water feature operation. I ask that Northwest Playground reimburse <br /> the City of Eugene for the additiona125 hours spent to facilitate proper installation of the Weeping Water <br /> feature. This would amount to $2,750 for City staff time. <br /> Please feel free to contact me directly with any questions you may have about the project. I look forward to <br /> your response by March 10, 2006. <br /> Sincerely, <br /> Emily Proudfoot, ASLA <br /> Landscape Architect, Project Manager <br /> <br />