Board discusses replacing sand at West Evergreen sand volleyball courts; no formal vote

Park staff told the board that replacing the sand at the West Evergreen Park sand volleyball courts would require higher-quality material and that the work could probably be completed for under $15,000, but the board did not take a formal vote on funding during the meeting.

K. Christie, parks staff, said the sand currently in the courts "isn't silica sand" but is a lower-quality material and that higher-quality sand would last longer. Christie provided a rough cost estimate and said the department could use discretionary park-board funds for part of the work; staff noted about $5,000 remains in the park discretionary fund. Christie added the old sand could be retained and repurposed for the city’s winter road salt-sand mixture.

Board members asked about the typical useful life of the higher-quality sand and whether the board should budget the replacement next year instead of using discretionary funds now. Christie said the city's budget year runs January through December and asked the board for direction on priority, asking members to rate the need on a scale of 1 to 10. One board member indicated no objection to replacing the sand this year but no motion to spend funds was made.

Why it matters: Several board members said adult recreational leagues use the sand courts frequently; replacing the material could reduce scrapes and improve playability. The decision involves discretionary capital spending or a budget request for the next fiscal year.

Next steps: Staff said they would monitor fund balances through the summer and return with a recommendation or budget request if warranted. No formal appropriation or procurement was authorized at the meeting.