Moraine staff outlines parks-and-recreation vision, highlights $2.5 million splash-pad in plan
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Summary
City staff reviewed the recently adopted Parks and Recreation Community Vision Plan and described near-term priorities including site cleanup, a proposed multimillion-dollar splash pad, and a longer-term amphitheater project.
City staff reviewed the Parks and Recreation Community Vision Plan adopted by the Moraine City Council earlier this year and said they will seek supplemental funding to start priority projects, including a proposed $2.5 million splash pad.
The presentation, given at the council’s meeting, explained the staff plan to compile a prioritized list of projects and present it to council for direction. The staff member said the vision plan was adopted by council at its second meeting in May, although the exact date was not specified in the meeting record.
Why it matters: the plan sets capital priorities and will guide budget requests in 2026 and beyond. The staff member described immediate steps that could require supplemental appropriations, and longer-term projects that would need budget allocations in later years.
The staff member told the council they were preparing a prioritized list of projects and would “take that to council, and I will see what their thoughts are.” They said they had already sought demolition quotes for existing buildings at park sites and had reached out to a design group to develop concepts for a splash pad.
On cost, the staff member repeated figures from the vision plan: “At the Civic Center. Yes. 2 and a half million dollars for a splash pad.” They emphasized that the figure was part of the vision and not a guarantee that the project will proceed.
The staff member said the splash pad is a top near-term priority, noting, “I think first things first should be the splash pad, just especially with the whole aquatic side of it,” and added that an amphitheater is a high priority on a longer timeline, with staff “maybe looking…in 2027” for that project.
The discussion also covered site responsibility and liability. The staff member said one park—referred to in the meeting as “DP and L Park”—is not city-owned and recommended decommissioning city responsibilities there because “for us to take care of it, for us to have liability, with what’s there probably isn't a good thing.” The speaker noted they did not have data in the meeting on how many residents use that park beyond a nearby church and that the ownership status makes continued city investment questionable.
No formal council vote on new funding or specific capital projects occurred at the meeting. The staff member said they would bring a prioritized list of projects and any funding requests back to council for formal consideration.
Looking ahead: the staff member said they plan to request larger allocations in the 2026 budget cycle to advance multiple projects, beginning with site cleanup and design work. The council did not set dates for project approvals during this meeting.
