Public services outlines Marshall White opening, WonderBlock parking timeline and Lester Park proposal

Justin Anderson, Public Services director, briefed the Ogden City Council on May 27 about capital projects, staffing and service changes across public works, parks, water, recreation and fleet operations.

Anderson opened with the Marshall White Center, which the department has opened and is serving members; staff reported more than 200 memberships and active day‑use. He also presented the eight‑story WonderBlock parking structure, describing the contractor’s progress and saying the structural build‑out of the eight levels is complete; finishing work, painting, facade installation and interior systems remain. The city plans software and operational testing to coincide with the opening of adjacent development; Anderson said the structure should be ready for occupancy by fall with additional software and management steps completed before public pay‑parking begins.

On park projects, Anderson said the department is preparing a transmittal on a phased Lester Park upgrade that would add playgrounds, pickleball courts, an oval that could host an ice rink in winter, pavilions and more accessible paths. He said the council would receive the transmittal shortly and that staff hopes to begin phased construction by late summer.

Public Services described multiple infrastructure initiatives: an extensive canyon water‑line replacement is underway (the team said one recent segment connects the Pine View Reservoir area to the dam), a consultant is being sought to study water hydraulics and flushing protocols following recent discolored‑water complaints, and the department reported emergency water‑line leak counts and a 5‑year replacement objective. Anderson said the city’s current plan targets replacing about 1.2% of water mains annually (an ~80‑year replacement cycle) and noted the program is behind target by roughly a mile of pipe for this planning window.

Sidewalk‑and‑walkway work was highlighted with before‑and‑after examples from recent projects (including 30th Street and Oakcrest) and a plan to cluster replacements to reduce costs. The department also summarized a bridge replacement (Gramercy Avenue) fully funded by a state grant, expected to be removed and rebuilt with completion targeted for October 2025.

On recycling and refuse, Anderson said contamination in curbside recycling has risen and that the department has asked for an audit of recyclable materials from the city’s vendor to guide an education campaign. He noted an upcoming county transfer‑station fee increase (approximately $2.25 per ton on July 1) that may require a future refuse fee adjustment.

Fleet and sustainability items included EV charging rollouts in partnership with Rocky Mountain Power and a multi‑year fleet replacement plan for refuse vehicles; the city has five new refuse trucks in production and plans to buy four more the following year.

Council member Dave (surname not specified) proposed creation of a city trails manager to inventory and prioritize trail maintenance, coordinate volunteers and partners, pursue grants and lead trail‑safety improvements. Anderson indicated parks could host trail work but said the proposal would require review; he agreed to circulate the written proposal to council members.

Anderson and department staff also discussed parking management. The city has selected parking management software and equipment but paused some timeline elements to rework operational funding; the WonderBlock Towers parking structure is scheduled to open in late 2025 and the city plans a trial or phased implementation of managed parking to observe employee and visitor behavior before full rollout.

No votes or final budget amendments were taken at the work session; council members asked for follow‑up information on parking financials, sidewalk and water‑line priorities, the Gramercy bridge schedule and the proposed trails manager scope and cost.