Grand Traverse County Parks & Recreation commissioners voted unanimously Thursday night to demolish the Kids Kove playground at the Civic Center after elevated arsenic levels in the soil led to the facility’s closure last summer.

A cost analysis determined that removing contaminated wood and refurbishing the site to address all safety issues at the playground would cost the county $140,000. External bids obtained from Superior Play LLC in Brighton gave three different options for replacing the playground instead, with costs ranging from $106,000-$113,000.

“For a little over $100,000, we could have a more modest playground that could last 30 years,” said Commissioner Pete Albers. Commissioner John Roth agreed, noting that “leaving a structure there as is with an orange fence around it all summer long is not acceptable. It’s a safety and a health issue, and we need to take it down to the ground.”

Commissioner Alisa Kroupa stated that the demolition “doesn’t end any opportunity for a community-built playground and volunteer project” at the Civic Center site. “I would like to see (another playground) in the same area,” Kroupa said. “We’re still moving forward. We’re not forgetting.”