Council unanimously approved a $83,500 contract with design and consulting firm Kimley-Horn & Associates for master planning services at Veterans and Niemietz Park on June 24.
The work order is funded through parks funds allocated in the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Capital Improvement Program.
How it happened
Veterans Park and Niemietz Park improvements were named as priorities by Cibolo council during an April 5 strategic workshop.
At the March 25 council meeting, Parks Superintendent David Howard provided a parks improvement plan with several potential actions at Veterans and Niemietz.
Improvement items presented for Veterans Park include a playground shade structure, multi-purpose field renovation and resurfaced basketball court, according to agenda documents.
Potential Niemietz Park improvement items include sports field renovations, kitchen and restroom renovations and adding two walking trails.
Current situation
Kimley-Horn & Associates will collect data, hold public meetings and put together a conceptual master plan for each park site and several site planning land surveys.
Conceptual master plans for each site include plans that could address everything from playgrounds and sports courts to lighting and shade structures, according to agenda documents. An opinion of probable cost will be developed alongside the concept plan.
Howard said the parks and recreation staff will head to Niemietz Park twice in July to meet with local stakeholders and get resident input on what they would like to see improved.
What council is saying
Council member Joel Hicks said he would like to see how the planning at Veterans and Niemietz parks can be related to other park facilities in the city.
“I just wanted to make sure that in this master plan, with what we’re funding, you’re looking at both of those parks but also, how we can connect,” Hicks said.
Council member Donetta Roberts said her top priority was to see improvements at Veterans Park.
“I love that we’re looking at both of them, but Veterans is the one we really need to focus on ... we need to make sure Veterans is truly taken care of properly,” Roberts said.
Next steps
Kimley-Horn & Associates architect Austin Powers said the plan will be complete in late fall or early winter.
Once the plan is completed, council will be able to determine which improvement items should be prioritized, City Manager Wayne Reed said.
