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Salina staff weigh National Fitness Campaign grant, aim for 2026 installation
Summary
Parks staff presented a National Fitness Campaign (fitness court) grant opportunity that would require a city match and site selection; the Parks Advisory Board offered feedback on visibility, shade, maintenance and neighborhood outreach. No formal vote was taken; staff said any application would target 2026.
Salina Parks and Recreation staff presented a proposal to pursue a National Fitness Campaign (NFC) fitness court grant and asked the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board for initial feedback, saying the earliest the city would seek grant funding is for 2026.
The proposal matters because the NFC grant covers only part of equipment costs and the city would be responsible for a substantial local match and site preparation. Staff estimated NFC equipment grants typically range from $30,000 to $60,000, plus city responsibilities such as a concrete pad (estimated up to $25,000) and installation; staff’s assembled estimate for a single 38-by-38-foot fitness court was roughly $173,500 after matching and site costs, though staff warned those numbers could change by 2026.
Jeff (Staff member) said the NFC grant is “a one-time grant towards the equipment,” and that ongoing maintenance would not be covered by the NFC award. He said staff’s preference is to plan now for a potential 2026 application and to include inflationary assumptions when preparing funding requests for the city’s budget process.
Board members and staff discussed several candidate sites identified by NFC and staff analysis: Oxbow Park (along the Dike Trail), Bill Burke Park (on the dike’s other side), the south end of Jerry Ivy (near tennis courts), and Sunset Park (former tennis/horseshoe area). Staff said NFC’s location-scoring showed Gerry/Ivy and Sunset scored higher than Oxbow, but Oxbow was a strong candidate for visibility from the trail. Board members pressed that any chosen location should be visible to high pedestrian traffic to maximize use — suggestions included siting it by high-school-area walkways or active park entrances.
Board members also flagged local concerns NFC does not cover in pricing: shade structures for Kansas summers, neighborhood acceptance of murals or site art, and long-term maintenance. One board member urged staff to contact communities that have installed fitness courts (McPherson, Wichita were mentioned) to check references; staff agreed that checking references would be useful before advancing an application.
Staff described program elements NFC provides: training for certified “ambassadors,” a mobile app with workouts, art/ mural opportunities, and optional fitness-court studio expansions. Mitch Manage (video presenter, National Fitness Campaign) described the campaign’s goals in a prerecorded video shown to the board; staff cautioned the board that NFC grants are limited (roughly 10–12 awards per year) and award decisions depend on location quality and the number of applicants.
Staff said a City Commission resolution of support would be required for a competitive application and that staff will conduct neighborhood outreach if a site is selected. No formal motion or vote on applying for the grant occurred at the meeting; staff sought feedback and said they will return with additional information, cost updates and community outreach results before any formal application is submitted.
Board reaction focused on maximizing visibility and use, confirming maintenance responsibilities would fall to the city, and seeking community input for site selection. Staff said they will refine cost estimates, check reference communities, and consult neighborhoods before any request reaches the city manager, finance director or City Commission.
Looking ahead, staff said they plan to include a possible NFC request in the city’s 2026 funding discussions, contingent on grant availability, community feedback and final cost estimates.
