Parks upgrades, Southeast walkway repairs and planned fire station prompt funding and design follow-ups

Parks and Recreation Director Levbetter updated the committee on a series of facility upgrades at multiple city properties and on coordination with the county over a planned fire station adjacent to the Southeast athletic complex.

Levbetter showed photos of a newly installed building sign and the nearly completed concession/restroom building at Southeast; she said a few change orders remain and staff anticipate the concession restrooms will be finished by the end of the month. She said lobby/classroom and office finishes have been completed and that the next major capital item is a new gym floor for the main gym, currently scheduled for installation in August; staff said the auxiliary gym will retain its existing hardwood floor.

Levbetter confirmed aquatics renovations are “on schedule” and described plans for the upcoming aquatics season in May; she also said staff are preparing fields for a busy summer and fall. On capital planning, committee members noted high summer programming demand and discussed longer-term expansion options for Brownsville and other sites.

Committee members raised a deteriorated concrete walkway inside Southeast park (described repeatedly in the meeting as a cracked walkway between fields). Committee members asked whether funding for that repair had been identified; staff replied that the capital improvement budget already adopted does not include that walkway and that scoping is required. The committee directed staff to scope the Southeast walkway repair and return with a proposed budget and funding recommendation so the committee can decide whether to amend the capital plan or include the work in an alternative funding source.

Members also discussed a county fire station planned at the park’s front area. Staff said the fire station design will shift the park entrance a few feet to the right (toward DeKalb Medical Parkway side of Covington Highway) and that the county will cover the fire‑station construction while the city will be responsible for the street design and improvements that serve the station and park. Staff said the project will include an MOU with the county and that a funding decision for the city’s street work will be brought to council; one committee member referenced a notional figure discussed elsewhere of $500,000 in city funding for related CIP needs.

Ending: Staff will produce a scope and budget for the Southeast walkway repairs, continue project closeout work on restroom and interior finishes and return with details on the fire‑station-related road design and the anticipated MOU and funding request.