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Parks director seeks RDC support for $2 million Riverside Park plan, asks for $500,000 commitment
Summary
Jan Foley presented a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant application for Riverside Park that would replace the playground and add parking and amenities; she asked the RDC for $500,000 toward a proposed $2 million project and said a smaller $250,000 RDC contribution would still allow a scaled submission.
Jan Foley, representing the parks department, asked the Redevelopment Commission to support a Land and Water Conservation Fund application for improvements at Riverside Park that would replace the existing playground with an “iconic” accessible playground, add a shelter, new parking and an overlook, and modernize the site.
Foley said the overall concept is a $2,000,000 project and that her request to the RDC was $500,000. “If that’s not the amount you’re able to help me with … if you come up with $250,000 for this, I’m hoping to match that with the city,” Foley said.
Foley described program elements prioritized by the grant program: full accessibility (she proposed poured-in-place rubber surfacing), recreational programming and measures to increase energy efficiency when feasible. She said the playground replacement is the project priority and is included in the city’s capital-improvement plan; the existing play structure dates to 1999 and “is ready to be replaced.” Foley noted the splash pad item in preliminary estimates may be cut if the budget requires it.
On timing, Foley said the grant application is due Aug. 1 and asked for an RDC resolution at the commission’s June meeting so the city and RDC commitments can be reflected in the grant application. Commissioners asked about the ratio of parking to play area and whether the DNR would view large parking expenditures unfavorably; Foley said she had not yet discussed that ratio with the DNR and that the program’s scoring is now more subjective than under past point systems.
There was no formal vote. Foley requested the RDC’s consideration and said she would provide budget details and a packet illustration if commissioners wanted to review the plan before June.
Ending: Foley asked commissioners for direction and a potential June resolution so the grant application can list local matching commitments; she emphasized accessibility and that the playground is the most urgent element.
