Flagstaff commission reviews five-year capital plan; Heritage Square restroom redesign remains unresolved

At its Jan. 13 meeting, the Flagstaff Parks and Recreation Commission reviewed the city’s current five-year capital plan and discussed project priorities and outstanding obstacles, including an ongoing effort to redesign the Heritage Square restrooms.

Staff presented a project-level summary of proposed and budgeted capital work spanning parks, recreation facilities and open-space design. Amy (Parks and Recreation staff) told commissioners the Bushmaster Park sport-court project’s budget has been increased from about $920,046 to a total of roughly $1,900,000 after adding an approximately $979,358 allocation. Other near-term projects highlighted included Westside Park ($1,510,000), Heritage Square restroom redesign ($250,000), Ponderosa Park reconstruction (funded; reconstruction depends on upstream stormwater work), and an HVAC/conditioned-air initiative at Hal Jensen Rec Center (budget increased to $150,000 from $100,000).

Why it matters: the five-year plan sets the city’s capital priorities and feeds grant planning and possible future ballot measures. Staff said prioritizing design work first—so projects have construction-ready drawings—improves prospects for grant applications and voter initiatives.

Indigenous community cultural center and Thorpe Park: staff said the capital plan contains $200,000 to advance the future Indigenous Community Cultural Center at Thorpe Park and that a statement-of-qualifications to identify an Indigenous partner was due Jan. 24. Staff also described a longer-range Thorpe Park expansion concept programmed at roughly $5,000,000 in an out year to fund design and construction of additional amenities.

Continental and Cheshire parks: Cheshire Park expansion has been increased to $1,500,000 to support a running track, multipurpose field, restrooms and parking considerations. Continental Regional Park design work is budgeted at $3,000,000 spread over two fiscal years to develop construction drawings for roughly 84 acres north of the existing complex.

Ponderosa and timing: staff said stormwater work upstream of Ponderosa Park is on the construction schedule and that park reconstruction is likely to follow; staff estimated the broader set of projects planned for that area would be completed in the 2025 construction season and that community outreach and procurement for park reconstruction could lead to construction in summer 2026.

Heritage Square restrooms: the commission spent extended time on the ongoing Heritage Square restroom problem. The two existing restroom units sit in an alley adjacent to the Hopi Trust Building and are owned by others, which limits the city’s options. Staff summarized past outreach to downtown businesses (including attempts to identify alternate site locations) and the technical problems that have stalled a solution: structural constraints inside the privately owned building, downtown business opposition to off-alley relocations, persistent cleanliness and unauthorized-occupancy issues, and accessibility requirements.

Staff noted any substantial remodel would likely trigger a 2021 state statute that requires public restrooms to include an adult changing area and to meet accessibility standards (5-foot turning radius), which increases design and cost complexity. Amy said staff had considered exterior-access redesigns and partitioned layouts to discourage misuse; she told the commission, "we gotta figure out a way" to keep the restrooms safe and usable, and described prior efforts that included outreach and multiple site proposals.

Commissioners’ next steps and joint meeting: staff said the commission will review the capital plan further at a joint February meeting with the Open Space Commission. Commissioners proposed tours and in-person meetings at recreation centers and some future park sites to become more familiar with operations and projects. Several commissioners supported keeping the $250,000 Heritage Square allocation and continuing to pursue a viable design solution.

Formal actions: the commission approved minutes from the previous meeting and approved a motion to continue Commissioner Parsons as chair and Commissioner Kerr as co-chair. The meeting record shows motions and voice approvals but no roll-call tally for the chair selection beyond the assembly saying "aye."