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Woodstock council adopts amended Little River Park master plan, prepares project for bid
Summary
The Mayor and Council of Woodstock voted 6-0 to affirm and amend the Little River Park master plan, removing some features because of environmental and health concerns and moving other amenities while staff prepares the project for bidding this spring.
The Mayor and Council of Woodstock on Feb. 24 adopted an amended master plan for Little River Park and directed staff to proceed toward bidding, with construction projected to start in early June.
The amended plan covers three zones—Trickham Road Park, the Linear Corridor and the Woodlands Park—on a site the city described as more than 100 acres and its largest park. Brian Borden, the city staff presenter, told council the amendments respond to newly discovered conditions and design decisions: a house originally slated for renovation was removed after crews uncovered substantial lead paint and asbestos; outdoor fitness equipment was removed from a boardwalk due to safety and wetland concerns; a dog park was relocated to higher ground at the Woodlands entry because the former location sits in a flood plain; and a proposed disc-golf course was deferred because of increased wetland delineations.
“These changes reflect conditions we found in the field and feedback from our Park Advisory Board,” Brian Borden said, asking council to affirm and amend the plan so the project could be advertised for bid.
Why it matters: the plan establishes the project scope that will go to contractors this spring and sets the park’s first phase of improvements, including paved trails, parking upgraded to code with lighting, new flush restrooms served by sewer and force main lines, a boardwalk and a dock at a pond intended for non-motorized boating and fishing, and a two-part playground with accessible features.
Council members pressed staff about whether the disc golf amenity could be added later as an alternate and about public information updates to the city’s parks pages. Councilmember Bridal said the disc-golf feature felt like a relatively low-cost amenity and encouraged staff to consider it as an add alternate. Borden confirmed the city could return to install disc golf later and said the project schedule calls for bid solicitation in March, bid openings in April, council award in May and a target construction start of June 2.
On a procedural motion, Councilman Johnson moved to adopt the amended master plan; Councilman Aak (recorded in the minutes as Aake/Aik) seconded the motion. The motion carried 6 to 0.
What was not decided: council did not reinstate the removed house, fitness stations on the boardwalk or the disc-golf area as part of the current bid package. Borden said several items could be reintroduced later when funding or design solutions permit.
The adopted plan will be used for procurement and construction documents; staff said the city has already received LDP and NOI approvals for aspects of the work and will update the public project pages as material becomes available.
The council vote: motion to adopt the amended Little River Park master plan carried 6-0.
