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Casper delays Buckboard Park lighting to FY27; staff outlines repurposing, outreach and fundraising options
Summary
City staff told the Casper City Council lighting at Buckboard Park was prioritized but not funded for FY26; staff recommended community outreach, possible repurposing to reduce maintenance, and pursuing outside fundraising with Rotary or Kiwanis; council accepted deferral to FY27/28.
City of Casper parks staff told the City Council on Oct. 11 that lighting improvements at Buckboard Park remain a high priority but were not included in the FY26 capital list because of limited capital funding and competing equipment needs. Staff said estimated costs are about $51,000 to $58,000 and recommended the council revisit the project in fiscal 2027 or 2028.
"Lighting improvements for the park will cost somewhere between 51 and $58,000," a city parks staff member told the council. The staff member said the parks and recreation master plan evaluated all parks and that staff later layered additional considerations — safety, deferred capital items, maintenance impact and other criteria — when prioritizing projects for the capital plan.
Staff said Buckboard Park rated in the top 10 of priority projects after scoring but funding was insufficient to cover all top projects plus necessary equipment such as mowers and trucks. "We... added another layer of consideration... and it spit out some numbers that helped us to prioritize the capital request that we made in fiscal year 26," the staff member said.
Councilors discussed alternatives to full capital funding. Councilor Kyle suggested repurposing parts of the turf to reduce maintenance and increase daytime activity, and he asked about partnerships with the school district and volunteer groups. "I'm okay with it not being a part of the capital agenda this year," Kyle said, while expressing interest in pursuing repurposing or other low-maintenance uses that could deter unwanted activity.
Staff proposed neighborhood outreach and an open-house engagement to determine resident preferences for Buckboard Park, noting that the master plan recommended amenities for older users but that the neighborhood might prioritize different features. Staff also discussed noncity fundraising: "One idea... was a mural wall, with inspirational messaging on it... that would likely be fundraised for," the parks staff member said, and added that the parks office has engaged Kiwanis and thought Rotary might be a potential partner.
Councilor Michael and others supported deferring the work to FY27 so staff could engage neighbors and explore alternatives. Staff also noted that other lighting projects exist or are grant-funded: the Marion Criner grant for the North Casper skate park includes lighting with a 10% match, and a larger $3,000,000 grant for the North Casper Athletic Complex will not cover all needed upgrades.
Staff recommended returning with a proposal in FY27 or FY28 and conducting community outreach in the interim if the council agreed; the council agreed to wait until FY27/FY28 to pursue lighting funding. Staff said interim construction lighting was not recommended because of neighborhood impact; directed, shielded lighting is an option but temporary construction lights would likely cause residential complaints.
The council asked staff to coordinate with the public engagement team, explore fundraising partnerships and report back with outreach results and a refined cost estimate when the capital planning cycle resumes.
