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Walnut Creek advances Heather Farm aquatic and community center design as permitting continues
Summary
City staff said final design and regulatory approvals are underway for the Heather Farm Park Aquatic and Community Center; phase 1 work would dewater and expand the park’s pond and will require environmental permits and temporary construction fencing. Public art with a $950,000 budget was approved by the Arts Commission.
The Walnut Creek PROS (Parks, Recreation and Open Space) Commission heard updates Feb. 3 on the Heather Farm Park Aquatic and Community Center as staff continue design and seek regulatory permits.
Alex Wong, senior civil engineer for the capital improvement program, told commissioners the Heather Farm project is the largest item in the proposed 2026–27 capital budget, listing the Heather Farm Park Aquatic and Community Center at $77,000,000. He said the project is in final design and staff are "working with the environmental agencies, getting approvals and working on mitigation measures."
Why it matters: the new facility will combine an aquatic center and community spaces at Heather Farm Park and will alter the park shoreline and circulation. That work will affect the park’s nature lake, adjacent trails and summer programming while construction is underway.
Public-works staff said permitting and sequencing are active tasks. Rich Payne, public works director, said the city has not yet received all regulatory permits but staff expect it is “plausible” they will arrive by the end of March. Payne described the planned first construction phase as demolition and expansion work around the existing pond: "phase 1 will be the demolition of a portion of the existing pond and then also the expansion of the lake," including dewatering the concrete pond and installing new footings and edge work along about 16,000 square feet of expanded surface.
Payne and staff warned the work will be subject to biological monitoring and timing constraints: a seasonal moratorium on in-water work runs from October through April, so any dewatering and reconstruction must be scheduled within the allowable window. Alex Wong said the pond dewatering and other work could mean the site is substantially different during the summer construction season.
Director of Arts and Recreation Kevin Saffine reported the Arts Commission has approved three public-art pieces for the new facility. He said the public-art budget for the project is about $950,000 and described a hanging ceiling piece for the lobby, a large stone sculpture in the park, and a long glass-tile mosaic on the poolhouse facade. "The budget for public art for this project is about $950,000," he said, and the selected artists will work with the architects on detailed placement and design.
Staff noted other financial inputs for the Heather Farm project: the presentation listed a $3,000,000 donation from the Walnut Creek Aquatics Group spread over 10 years; Measure O sales-tax revenue and other financing are also expected to support the broader capital program. City staff said some debt or financing will be required to complete the project.
Commissioners and staff also described near-term site work already underway: tree removals to avoid conflicts with nesting season, temporary construction fencing around areas where trees were removed, and plans to revegetate new shoreline once construction is complete.
What’s next: staff will continue final design and seek the remaining regulatory permits; if permits arrive as anticipated, phase 1 permitting and construction documents will be completed to allow bidding and work in the next in-water work window. The Arts Commission selections will proceed into artist–architect coordination and fabrication schedules.
