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Parks staff report: Duluth court expansion approved, master plan nearly complete, public art proposals advance
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Summary
Staff told the Parks and Recreation Commission the Duluth Park Pinnacle Court Expansion was approved by City Council and is out to bid; the parks master plan is nearly complete pending environmental review, and multiple public-art proposals and installations are moving forward.
Parks and Recreation staff briefed the commission on a series of projects and public-art proposals during the Feb. 24 meeting.
Staff said the Duluth Park Pinnacle Court Expansion was approved by City Council on Feb. 13 and that the project has been posted for bid. A staff presenter said contractors’ bids are awaited before construction begins and that a temporary replacement play area will be arranged during construction.
On the master plan, staff reported being “about 98% complete” and said they are awaiting an environmental review from the Community Development Department; once that review is finished staff will return the final plan to City Council for adoption.
Construction updates included near-complete work at Desert Islands Park’s exercise equipment and active installation at the Demuth playground, where surfacing, structure assembly and curing timelines are underway. Staff noted minor repairs were needed on several exercise units and that vendors are supplying replacement parts. Staff also reported the city added a new Recreation Program Assistant, Kelvin Wood, who will work at the Demuth Community Center.
Staff gave multiple updates on public-art activity. A DesertX installation permit is in review; the contractor plans to begin installation Thursday after a downtown event, subject to permit approval. The Art in Parks program presented three proposals the commission discussed: relocation of the “Popsicles” piece to a leisure-center wall by the swim center (art commission sign-off pending commission concurrence), a “Dragonfly” shade piece (an artist resubmitted a $30,000 design after earlier review), and a larger shade sculpture titled Beautiful Shades (also called “Parkside Gossip”) proposed for Ruth Hardy Park. Staff said the public-art commission will fund one Beautiful Shades piece for the City’s collection and that additional units could be fabricated later if the parks department wants to place more within the system.
Artscape installations at Desert Highland, Victoria Park, Gateway Park and Baristo Park are on track for installation by May 19; staff said they prefer simultaneous installation for greater community and media impact.
No formal commission vote was recorded on these items at the Feb. 24 meeting; staff sought direction and reported timelines, bid postings and permitting steps.
