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Committee reviews Walter Simpson Park needs: shade sails, seating, trash and dog-park ideas
Summary
Members discussed a $15,000 shade-sail package used in a nearby city, additional benches and trash receptacles, recurring illegal dumping, and community interest in a dog park; staff will arrange a field visit and explore grant opportunities.
Recreation Committee members raised several resource needs for Walter Simpson Park on June 18, including additional shade at the playground, more seating and picnic tables, and more trash receptacles to handle frequent party cleanup. City Engineer Brenda Mockeby provided an example from Rocky River where two shade sails created a covered square seating area; she said the shade-sail package she reviewed was about $15,000 for the sails and hardware but did not include concrete work.
Committee members said parents and grandparents have repeatedly requested more shade at the playground and additional benches. Sherry Sachs and other committee members suggested staff explore grant opportunities; Sachs said she had previously raised the idea at civic meetings. Mockeby said the final price would depend on area size and height and recommended a site visit and shopping around for other suppliers.
The committee also discussed trash and illegal dumping. Service staff said park receptacles are emptied once or twice a week during the season but that illegal dumping of bags near containers has occurred in recent months. Staff said they do not staff the park on most weekends and suggested more central receptacles and signage encouraging users to remove trash after events.
A recurring request from residents — a dog park — was discussed. Committee members noted potential neighborhood concerns about location, noise and maintenance. The group suggested exploring options, including whether a temporary dog park could be placed on non-city property or at a school site, and recommended comparing different operational models used by neighboring cities (resident-key fob access vs. open parks). The committee agreed to visit Walter Simpson Park together in the coming weeks to evaluate shade locations and other improvements and to bring findings back to the next meeting.
Ending: Staff will share the Rocky River example, pursue potential grant sources, schedule a field visit, and return with cost estimates and site options for committee review.
