The review on June 20 was part of the city’s continued effort to update the Parks and Recreation Open Master Plan. A complete rewrite of the plan is conducted every 10 years with an update conducted every five years. The last update was adopted by council members in 2017.
In fiscal year 2021-22, the city has worked on five parks projects totaling $576,500. The projects were funded by this year's maintenance fund and from over $145,000 in savings from the previous year.
Projects included replacing the infield material and backstop at Mark Twain Park’s baseball field, which cost $71,000; replacing the east backstop at the Heights Park softball field, which cost $45,000; constructing a new bridge at the Cottonwood Park south pond crossing, which cost $250,000; replacing the restroom building at Creek Hollow Park, which cost $200,000; and replacing the flooring at the Huffhines Tennis Center, which cost $10,500.
City officials expect five projects to be done during FY 2022-23, which are expected to total $480,000.
Crowley Park is expected to have its irrigation system improved, including raising valves, adding wire and correcting coverage. This project is expected to cost $130,000.
The median on South Yale Boulevard is expected to be redesigned and renovated to select planting nodes, according to city officials. This project is estimated to cost $140,000.
The east lake at Breckinridge Park off Renner Road is expected to have repairs done to the fill system for the pond. These repairs are projected to cost $130,000.
City officials expect the west backstop to be replaced on the Heights Park softball fields and for a supplementary bridge on the Cottonwood Park south side to be constructed. These projects are expected to cost $55,000 and $25,000, respectively.
In addition, the city will work on five additional projects using funding from the 2021 bond program. Approved by 74.69% of voters, Proposition E in the program provides $3 million for renovating nine neighborhood parks.
“We typically like to renovate our neighborhood parks every 15-20 years, improving the places that get the most attention with new equipment,” Superintendent of Park Planning Kurt Beilharz previously told Community Impact Newspaper.
Two of these park projects include renovating neighborhood playgrounds at Mark Twain Park and Woodhaven Grove Park. The third project will see the city replace one of Breckinridge Park's two playgrounds.
Other projects include activation of the Glenville Property and the Apollo Road Property. These projects are expected to cost $2.8 million and $1 million, respectively.
As part of the parks analysis, City Council reviewed the annual parks capital asset assessment, which is an inventory of the city’s 39 parks, said Shohn Rodgers, assistant director of parks and planning. The city ranks its parks on a five-point scale according to five separate criteria: safety, age, structural soundness, utility and appearance.
Assets evaluated in the assessment were generally those valued by the city at $10,000 or greater, Rodgers said. These include pavilions, restrooms, playgrounds, trails, pedestrian bridges, tennis courts, irrigation systems, water features, sports fields, lighting systems, storage buildings and median landscaping.
