Parks staff report heavy snow response, equipment gains; Stacy restrooms remain closed

Parks staff told the commission about heavy snow operations during the recent storm, described new equipment the department has used for clearing pathways and parking lots, and outlined several facility updates.

Staff said two recently purchased machines—a Polaris and a ranger with a salt spreader—helped clear park pathways and parking lots and reduce staff exposure to cold. Parks crews assisted public works during the storm; staff explained that public works is primarily responsible for city streets while parks crews focus on parking lots and park sidewalks, but crews are cross-trained and will augment one another when staffing is limited. Staff also noted limits: state highways are cleared by MoDOT and city vehicles are not equipped to safely clear those thoroughfares.

Staff reported that some heavily used sidewalks and some park paths remained icy and could not be cleared until thaw conditions returned; pretreatment with beet juice is used selectively to protect landscaping but is costly and applied only in limited areas (for example, to the front entrance at 5 Oaks).

Parks staff said the Stacy Park restrooms will remain closed for now because of heater failures and a past incident in which a door was left open and fixtures were damaged during cold weather; staff called the replacement heaters an emergency capital need. The commission was told there are plans for new memorial benches at Stacy and Villa parks and a forthcoming prairie-burn event when conditions allow.

Staff also reviewed 5 Oaks facility activity: membership and rental trends, a recent uptick in annual memberships, private rentals and programming (including basketball and pickleball scheduling), and ongoing outreach work intended to increase weekday usage.