City consultants and staff presented updated schematic plans and cost‑options for the Teen Center plaza and skate‑park renovation and asked the Recreation and Parks Commission for final feedback before the design goes to City Council.

Jenny Zell, a representative from MIG, summarized changes to the plan’s configuration, drainage and site survey updates and said the skate‑park area is roughly 7,125 square feet under the current layout. She described revisions intended to improve drainage, circulation and an accessible path from an ADA parking stall down to the teen center plaza.

Multiple commissioners and staff raised safety and gameplay concerns about a proposed seat wall that sits about four to five feet from the basketball baseline and reaches up to about 18 inches in places. “To have a wall right where you're going off the court, probably not a good idea,” one commissioner said. Mark, the senior lifeguard specialist, and other commissioners warned that a low ledge or seat wall behind the basket could cause trips or collisions during play. Staff said they will explore alternatives, including moving the wall back, lowering or converting it to a cushioned vertical surface or relocating seating so playability is not impaired.

Design and cost issues also centered on lighting and finish materials. MIG presented two lighting options: a moderate upgrade that reuses existing poles with improved fixtures (estimated in the project allowance at about $30,000) and a more extensive installation that adds additional poles to eliminate shadows and provide more even illumination (an electrical estimate the team cited was about $92,000). The difference between keeping the allowance and adding the new poles was described as roughly a $63,000 delta and is slated to be considered as an add‑alternate in bids.

Contractor add‑alternates for skate‑park finishes include three options for a prominent skate feature (the “water tower”): a painted lettered treatment (estimated $2,500–$3,500), a polyaspartic decorative coating and lettering (roughly $11,000 average in the estimator’s table) and an integral colored concrete pour with custom formwork and sealing (the estimator listed roughly $24,000 for the most durable option). Staff discussed the tradeoffs—initial cost, durability and lifecycle maintenance—and commissioners suggested arts‑and‑culture funding might help pay for a higher‑quality finish if the commission wants a permanent colored feature.

Jenny Zell said the project is in detailed construction drawings and plan check; staff noted the project will go out to bid with lighting and certain finishing items presented as add‑alternates so the city can prioritize scope based on bid results.

Ending: The commission gave staff and MIG direction to study alternatives for the seat wall near the basketball baseline, keep the lighting options as add‑alternates for bidding, and return recommended solutions and final bid documents for review before council consideration.