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Council reviews design, funding plan for Greenfield Recreation Center and Park
Summary
NJA Architects presented an updated schematic design and funding plan for the Greenfield Recreation Center and Park, describing an 18,000-square-foot multipurpose building, landscaping and a multiuse field and saying the city will pursue a second grant and other funding to bridge a remaining gap.
NJA Architects presented an updated schematic design and funding plan for the Greenfield Recreation Center and Park, showing a multipurpose building, a large multiuse field and landscaped public plaza and saying the project will pursue additional grants to reach construction funding.
The presentation, given by representatives of NJA Architects, described community outreach, universal-access play areas, drought‑tolerant landscaping, a multipurpose gym and a flexible lobby intended to double as public programming space. The design team said the project has been scaled from roughly 23,000 square feet to a little over 18,000 square feet to reduce cost, and that the primary awarded grant totals $8,500,000. The team also said it will apply for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (maximum request up to $6,000,000) in August.
Why it matters: Council and residents said the park and recreation facilities are a high local priority and asked how the city will bridge a remaining funding gap. Architects described several value-engineering measures intended to keep the scheme eligible for the awarded grant while providing room for future additions such as a splash pad or aquatics facility if extra funding is found.
Design and program details John, a presenter with NJA Architects, said the plan centers on a multiuse plaza framed by the building, a naturalistic playground and an open multipurpose field large enough to host sports, movie nights and community events. The building design emphasizes durability and low maintenance, including metal facades and a rammed earth entry feature intended as a local material reference. "This project will be LEED silver," John said, listing daylighting, cool‑roof technology, solar panels, permeable paving and rainwater harvesting among proposed sustainable features.
The team described a cost‑saving strategy of using a premanufactured metal building system and reducing square footage as measures estimated to have trimmed roughly $3,000,000 from earlier budgets. The architect said a schematic-level cost estimate is under development and that a full permitting package could be ready by the end of the year, but that the project must be fully funded before breaking ground.
Funding and timing The city has $8.5 million in grant funding already awarded for the project. The design team said applying for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (state grant) in August could bring up to $6 million more. The architect gave a current ballpark total project estimate of $18 million to $20 million and said the city would likely need an additional $10 million to $12 million to be in position to break ground next year.
Architects and staff cautioned that construction cost escalation has been significant in recent years and that the grant awarded to the city requires the project to have begun construction before the grant deadline; staff said the deadline to break ground on the awarded grant is June 2028.
Public comment and council discussion Several residents who attended the public workshop and the council meeting urged the council to prioritize elements such as an aquatic splash pad and inclusive play equipment. Noemi Chico, a Greenfield resident, said she hopes the project does not take years to reach construction and urged a splash pad instead of an additional unlit soccer field. "We don't need another soccer field; I think we'd rather have a splash pad," Noemi said during public comment.
Council members asked for more precise cost estimates and options showing the financial implications of adding square footage, lighting for the field and a splash pad. Staff and the design team committed to return with detailed cost estimates from cost consultants and options that include the additional features requested by residents.
Next steps Staff will present the cost estimator's report and a funding‑gap update to council as design development proceeds. Councilmembers asked staff to outline specific funding options (including use of local reserves or ARPA funds) and to return with comparative costings for add-on features such as field lighting and a splash pad.
Ending: Council praised the design work and the community outreach and asked the architects and staff to return with cost estimates and a refined funding strategy to move the project toward construction.
