Parks and Events Commission returns with plan for cricket field and communication boards

The Parks and Events Commission told the Parks and Public Works Committee on March 11 that it has regained a quorum, adopted a new meeting schedule and is recommending local sites for a community cricket field and pilot communication boards for playgrounds.

The commission, represented at the committee by Chair Emily Anderson and a fellow commissioner identified as Paul, said it now has three commissioners and expects a fourth next month. At its March 11 meeting the commission voted to pursue a suitable local park for a permanent cricket field and recommended either Jeannie Hansen or Centennial as options, based on city staff feedback.

The commission described the need for a home field for local cricket players and said Centennial’s Fields 2 and 3 appear to have room to place a cricket pitch within the outfield space so it would not interfere with adjacent softball fields. Commissioners discussed that Centennial and Jeannie Hansen do not have field lighting; Jeannie Hansen’s lighting has previously been tested and was reported as creating spill to North Bend, limiting options for night play. Commissioners noted other regional fields with lights could accommodate evening activities but that such fields are more expensive.

The commission also proposed piloting communication boards at playgrounds such as Centennial Park, the splash pad when it is active, and Riverview Park. Emily Anderson described the boards as pictorial panels that help children who are nonverbal or have difficulty communicating — for example, many autistic children — point to icons to express needs or choices. The commission said it is working with city staff to explore grant funding for those installations.

Commissioners said they plan to meet the second Tuesday every other month (odd months) and to provide regular updates to the Parks and Public Works Committee, either in person quarterly or by written updates as appropriate. They also said they will work with staff to create a prioritized list of immediate and long-term projects and to provide local input on playground and park design work.

The presentation included discussion of possible temporary or nonconcrete solutions for some installations where permanence could interfere with other field uses. The commission asked the committee for guidance about how frequently to present updates and said it aims to be a functional advisory body while avoiding overloading committee agendas.

No formal committee action was recorded on the commission’s recommendations at the March 11 meeting; the presentation served as an update and request for continued staff coordination.