Parks and Rec Board June 21st Meeting

Detailed briefing

Parks and Rec Board — June 21, 2022 • Boardwalk planning and fundraising continued, but members said final project numbers and bids were still unavailable. A contractor visited the boardwalk and was expected to provide an estimate within the next couple of weeks, principally for the platform and possibly for the broader boardwalk work. Members stressed that prospective donors need clearer cost information before making commitments. • Members voiced concern that statements about landscaping, bluff views and construction timing could create confusion for neighbors and donors. They discussed bringing the matter to city staff attention, noting that construction will require a work zone but that landscaping or trimming questions may need clearer direction. • The board expanded its boardwalk fundraising and outreach plan. Five hundred brochures were printed for $175 and were being distributed through businesses, the Chamber and personal contacts. Other ideas included restaurant table cards, signs and banners, social-media posts, a monthly farmers market presence, street-music outreach, newspaper letters, and possible outreach through the DDA and Historic Society. Members also discussed asking utilities and foundations about grant opportunities. • The parks survey had 32 responses at the time of the meeting and will remain open through July. Members said early results and comments showed strong interest in playgrounds and shade features, while also favoring simple or passive park improvements and better maintenance of existing facilities. Tennis courts were described as relatively less important in the preliminary results. Staff said the survey could help inform the master plan, which they hoped could go to council by late August. • A donor has funded replacement beach playground parts, wood chips and related costs totaling just over $6,000. Parts were ordered and expected within a couple of weeks. Installation will depend on delivery timing and the Department of Public Works schedule; staff said they would coordinate mulch delivery once a firm installation date is available. • Beach lifeguard staffing remains short. Staff reported about five guards, while seven would be preferable to cover schedules safely. For now, lifeguards were not expected Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and beach attendants may be present instead. Signs state that swimming and raft use are at users’ own risk when lifeguards are off duty. The skate park is open for the season. Worth watching: • Whether the boardwalk contractor estimate arrives as expected and provides usable cost information for fundraising. • Whether the beach playground can be installed promptly after parts arrive and DPW scheduling is confirmed. • Whether lifeguard recruitment improves coverage, especially around the Fourth of July and later summer. Upcoming: The parks survey is scheduled to remain open through July. Why it matters: The board is balancing immediate safety and maintenance needs with fundraising and planning for major park and boardwalk improvements.

No open public follow-ups are linked to this meeting yet.