People’s Town residents press committee to pause vault-park project and release design-build contract

Community members from the People’s Town neighborhood asked the committee to pause construction on a flood control vault and revised park design tied to the Custer Avenue relief project.

Matt Rinker, president of the People’s Town Neighborhood Association, said the park’s current design forbids planting “any substantial trees” while removing more than a dozen mature trees and places a combined sewer and stormwater vault beneath planned parkland. “Many residents were unaware that the size of this vault would span nearly 7 acres,” Rinker said, and called for a community meeting with Watershed Management and the design-build team and for the city to provide the design-build contract.

Rinker requested a pause in construction until Watershed Management can answer community questions about the vault, health risks, infrastructure strain, long-term maintenance and why the project vision moved from a multifunctional green space to the current plan. He also asked the committee to request that Watershed Management delay construction until a public meeting can be held and that the community be given the opportunity to name the park.

Committee members acknowledged the request and noted the project overlaps utilities and park planning. No formal action was taken by the committee at the meeting on this request; it was recorded in the public comment record and forwarded to staff for follow up.

Why it matters: The project affects local flood mitigation, public open space design and tree canopy; residents seek greater transparency and assurances on health and maintenance.

What’s next: Community leaders asked planning and Watershed Management for a design-build contract and a large-scale community meeting before further construction.