At a committee meeting of the Lago Vista Parks and Recreation Committee on Oct. 10, city parks staff outlined the approved fiscal 2025–26 Parks and Recreation budget and detailed safety and accessibility shortfalls at Sunset Park, the sports complex and the pool.

The presentation matters because committee members said the issues — including playground surfacing, a noncompliant donated swing, splash‑pad sanitation requirements and lack of accessible paths to ballfields — carry safety, ADA compliance and budget implications for the city’s near‑term capital work.

David (city parks staff) told the committee the budget packet the committee received is the same copy he is operating from and that it reflects the council‑approved FY25–26 budget. “I copied that budget and that’s what you see,” he said. He highlighted two staffing changes and several capital priorities: the budget adds two maintenance positions (to be hired as maintenance technicians), a fixed‑assets line for shade structures and irrigation originally quoted at $85,000, $65,000 for trails work and $15,000 proposed for pocket parks.

“These positions … reflect the addition of the two positions for the department for this coming fiscal year,” David said, adding, “we will hire 2 additional … maintenance technicians that will give us a team of 4.” Committee members pressed for timelines and for staff to return with sketches, bids and cost estimates.

On facilities, David described a list of compliance and accessibility problems identified in recent vendor surveys. He said playground surfacing is being displaced by use at high‑traffic points (slide exits, under swings) and must be maintained more frequently and augmented with safety surfacing. He raised specific concerns about a donated swing set: the committee packet cites manufacturing and installation issues and shows mixed‑use swing bays and nonstandard connectors that do not meet the ASTM/consumer‑safety guidance used for public play equipment.

David also said the pool’s splash‑pad features trigger a Texas requirement for a supplemental sanitation system because water is being aerosolized. “Today, we’re out of compliance. By next week, we’ll be in compliance with that secondary system,” he said after reporting the purchase order was approved and a contractor scheduled work. Staff said the pool budget includes a $16,000 fixed‑assets line to replace outdoor furniture and that lifeguard contracting for Summer 2026 is under way; vendors returned bids with only one falling under the current budgeted amount.

Turnback Canyon Trail Phase 2 is on the near term: staff will do a cursory walk and GPS the route before formalizing alignment, then complete required archaeological studies. David said trail phase 1 is finished and phase 2 would link to Sunset Park; he described some private parcels and easements the trail will cross and noted the work is contingent on easement and archaeological clearance.

Committee members and staff discussed pocket parks and how to spend the $15,000 line. David said the priority is to identify sites that are immediately developable with minimal grading or ADA slope work so limited funds achieve a visible benefit. He also told members he had used remaining prior‑year funds to make the Sunset Park restroom accessible and to soften the park entrance with planters and new plantings.

Committee members praised recent maintenance responsiveness — including tree trimming, fence repair and cleanups on Foothill/Turnback access — and urged staff to pursue funding sources and sponsorships for larger projects. David said he would bring back cost estimates, vendor quotes and a formal pocket‑park proposal for the committee and would coordinate with the new development services director and the city manager on trail and accessibility follow ups.

Looking ahead, staff committed to: completing the Phase 2 walk for Turnback Canyon Trail, installing the supplemental pool sanitation system, pursuing competitive quotes for shade structures to stretch the $85,000 line, preparing a pocket‑park proposal for FY25–26, and returning to the committee with drawings and cost estimates.

The meeting closed with members encouraging community fundraising and sponsorship opportunities for specific amenities.