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Council hears regional park update: site work, funding and a May bid target
Summary
Staff reported progress on due diligence, surveys, wetland and transportation studies for the planned regional park, outlined amenities and funding previously approved, and said staff hopes to go to bid by May.
County planning and parks staff updated Lancaster County Council on the proposed regional park, reporting completed due‑diligence steps, a target bid timeline and ongoing cost‑management work.
Stephanie Snowden, the county project lead on the park, said the wetland study is complete and the project management team has walked the site with Duke (Power). She described planned amenities that include three full baseball/softball fields with batting cages and concessions, multipurpose soccer fields, an inclusive playground, an enhanced splash pad, a maintenance/storage building, multiuse trails and a small amphitheater.
Snowden summarized the funding that council approved in 2023: $8,000,000 in hospitality (accommodations) funds and $26,700,000 in bonds, for a total of $34,700,000. She told the council staff has reduced earlier escalations from a previously cited roughly $42 million and is working to bring the estimate closer to the council‑approved funding; in discussion she and staff referenced current estimates in the mid‑$34–35 million range.
Snowden said the design team is in the construction‑documents phase, permitting steps and a transportation study are complete, and staff hopes to complete the bid package by May. Chris Clouden, the county’s parks director, said the parks team is developing sponsorship and capital‑campaign plans to offset owner‑supplied items and to fund enhanced elements of the splash pad and playground.
Council members discussed naming policy and sponsorship options for the complex and whether individual fields could be named separately from the overall park. Snowden said staff will return with options and criteria for naming and sponsorship.
No formal decisions were required; the council received the update and asked staff to continue cost‑refinement and to return with naming and sponsorship proposals.
