Case Study: Westside Community Schools – Rockbrook Elementary Playground
The Challenge
In May 2022, Westside Community Schools passed a second bond to fund a wide range of facility improvements and new construction—part of the district’s 15-year master plan to rebuild aging schools, expand capacity, and improve safety and accessibility. Phase II of the bond included much-needed upgrades to aging playgrounds.Cunningham Recreation met with Andrew Wane, Director of Operations, who had recently stepped into the role. It quickly became clear that several playground projects from the first bond phase had suffered from missed construction timelines, installation quality issues, and premature failures—particularly with poured-in-place rubber surfacing and equipment durability.Cunningham Recreation continued discussions with Matt Herzog from Project Advocates, a firm working closely with Westside staff and the community to manage all aspects of the bond program, including programming, design, construction, and close-out. Through these conversations, it became evident that Westside needed a trusted partner who could help them understand each site’s needs, provide reliable solutions, and ease the burden of managing multiple complex projects at once.
The Approach
Cunningham Recreation entered the conversation not to sell equipment, but to offer expertise and guidance. Our team:
• Conducted site assessments for all 10 elementary schools and additional early childhood sites to identify immediate needs, hazards, and opportunities.
• Listened carefully to district pain points from Phase I.
• Connected the district with trusted industry contacts, including our experienced installer, to build confidence in execution.• Provided verified references from other satisfied districts to demonstrate our proven track record.
• Developed three design options for each project, complete with pros, cons, and value breakdowns to support informed decision-making.
For Rockbrook Elementary, school leadership, PTO members, and students all had a voice in shaping the design. Their feedback inspired meaningful modifications, creating a playground the entire community could feel ownership in.
The Solution
Cunningham Recreation was selected as the district’s playground partner for Phase II of the bond program.
The rollout included:
• Four playgrounds installed in 2025
• Three additional playgrounds scheduled for 2026
• Additional sites planned for future phases
• Ongoing support for repairs and upgrades at existing sites, including surfacing fixes and hazard mitigation
By managing site reviews, design, and contractor coordination, Cunningham Recreation helped ease the workload for the district’s operations team and ensured projects remained on schedule.
The Results
The first completed playground—Rockbrook Elementary—debuted on the first day of school in August 2025 to enthusiastic students, parents, and staff. The project even caught local media attention, with WOWT Channel 6 highlighting the grand opening as a major milestone for the school community.
Read the full story from WOWT Channel 6: “Westside’s Rockbrook Elementary shows off new playground on first day of school.”
“This bond project was a huge undertaking, and I knew I couldn’t do it alone. Cunningham Recreation took a lot off my plate and proved they could deliver on their promises. Their team has been a true partner from the beginning.”— Matt Herzog, Project Advocates
Why Cunningham Recreation
For school districts managing large-scale playground upgrades through bond initiatives, Cunningham Recreation offers more than just equipment—we provide partnership.Our ability to:
• Act as a trusted advisor from the start,
• Offer comprehensive assessments and phased solutions,
• Build trust with administrators, principals, and community members, and
• Ensure smooth installation and follow-through
makes us uniquely equipped to support districts navigating complex, bond-funded projects.
With Rockbrook Elementary as the first success story in Phase II, Westside Community Schools have set the stage for continued improvements that will benefit students for years to come.
