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Recreation staff propose West End park upgrades and Old Town Pool replacement; neighbors request teen space and safety-first phasing
Summary
The Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities presented concept plans for John E. Wilb (Wilb) Park in the West End and proposed replacement of the aging Old Town Pool. Staff said current funding will not deliver a full build at Wilb, and will seek grants; councilmembers asked for memos on teen-space options, sight-line improvements,
The Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities presented two highlighted projects: a redesign concept for John E. Wilb Park (a West End neighborhood park) and a proposed replacement of the Old Town Pool, which staff described as the city's oldest aquatic facility.
Wilb Park (John E. Wilb)
Jack Broland, interim director for the department, said Wilb Park is heavily used but physically isolated and has sight-line and safety issues. Staff presented two conceptual layouts showing combinations of active and passive spaces, improved parking and circulation, and accessibility upgrades. Broland said current project funding would not fully build the entire concept and that staff intend to seek additional federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grants to extend the project's scope.
Councilmembers urged the city to study a small enclosed teen space as part of the park redesign (a modest indoor room or two with restroom access and programming), citing transit access (DASH routes) and neighborhood demand. Members suggested phasing to front-load safety and visibility improvements (lighting, sight-line changes and entry points) while later phases could deliver larger amenities.
Old Town Pool
Staff said the Old Town Pool was last renovated decades ago and faces rising maintenance needs. The proposal includes replacing the two pool bodies with modern, accessible pool facilities and a new bathhouse; staff said current funding will support a base replacement concept and that the department's ongoing needs assessment could adjust the design toward a family-oriented facility (zero-entry or splash features) depending on demand.
Why this matters: councilmembers framed Wilb Park's safety and underuse as community priorities in a dense West End neighborhood and asked for specifics on phasing, operational impacts and potential partners to program new indoor space. For Old Town Pool the stakes are programmatic: the pool is a public amenity with seasonal operational requirements and a long public-use history.
Ending
Staff said they will continue community affirmation, pursue grant funding for Wilb Park, and finalize the needs assessment that will inform Old Town Pool design later in the spring; council asked for a budget memo that lays out phasing options and the estimated additional cost to add a small indoor teen space.
