West U’s Wier Park could get up to $1M in upgrades

Editor's Note: story has been edited for clarity regarding the future of the project.

West University Place’s Wier Park could gain an estimated 6,500 square feet of usable space that could include upgrades such as extending the park’s artificial turf, adding more seating and open green space.

What happened

West University Place City Council voted unanimously July 10 to accept the park’s concept design presented by the city’s Parks and Recreation Board.

The backstory

Since 2022, the Parks and Recreation Board and city staff have been collaboratively working with Burditt Landscape Architects and the nonprofit The Friends of West U Parks to come up with a communitywide consensus on improvements to the park.

The city’s fiscal year 2023-2024 budget included improvements to Wier Park, according to July 10 agenda documents.

The details

No major changes are being recommended for the layout or programming of the park, according to the West University Place Parks and Recreation Department. The main items under consideration for upgrades include:

• Removing the parking space on Nottingham Street to increase open green space
• Adding accessible pathways
• Repainting the play structures in the kid play areas
• Replacing and extending the artificial turf
• Refreshing the picnic tables and benches
• Increasing shade in the large swing and picnic area
• Installing a new gate entry
• Improving drainage
• Adding stationary fitness equipment and cornhole to the southwest portion of the park
• Adding solar lighting
• Adding two benches outside the park

The cost

While the city’s FY 2023-24 budget allocated funding toward the park’s updates, Mayor Pro Tem John Montgomery said the majority of funding will not come from taxpayer money but from individual donations.

“I just wanted to throw in a thanks to, of course, Friends of West University Parks, from which the majority of funding for this project will come as not taxpayer money, but as money generated by individuals,” Montgomery said.

• Costs have increased significantly, according to the parks department, due to the expanded project scope and rising inflation.
• Construction is estimated to cost between $865,000-$1 million.
• The construction cost does not include the costs that city staff will be overseeing, which are estimated to be $163,000, according to the agenda document.

What’s next

The Friends of West U Parks Fund will meet July 12 to discuss the anticipated funding required, according to agenda documents.

• Parks and Recreation Director Susan White said by early September, the nonprofit would meet again for funding approval, then city staff would begin the bid process.
• A tentative project start date could be in January, White said.
• If the project isn't split into phases, White said construction would take three months minimum from start to finish.