Wasco Recreation and Park District details park upgrades, Annan Park funding hurdle and coalition proposal

Wasco Recreation and Park District staff updated the City Council on completed and planned park improvements, funding sources and timeline constraints for two larger park projects — Cormac Park and Annan Park — and urged continued interagency cooperation to secure land and grant matches.

Chris (Wasco Recreation and Park District staff) and consultant Monya Jamieson described parks where Measure X funds were spent and projects in design or grant review. The district said a council-approved $550,000 allocation from Measure X was included in the city's fiscal-year capital improvement program for general park improvements. District staff said new playground equipment and shade structures have been installed at Westside Park and Barker Park and that engineered wood-fiber surfacing was used. Staff reported a remaining Measure X balance of $125,312.04 earmarked for replacement of the community pool fence; that fence is scheduled for installation this fall.

Consultant Monya Jamieson told the council that the Cormac Park project previously needed scope reductions: "The grant was $1,700,000; our estimate was $2,700,000 and so we had to cut a million dollars worth of projects out of the Cormac Park so that we could get it down to where we had the grant funds," she said. Jamieson said the state approved the district's scope-change request and construction documents are being finalized; bid documents will follow and "it's probably gonna be several months before you see anything again, moving any moving dirt, anybody out there is probably anywhere between 2026 and 2026," she said, indicating construction activity is expected in the 2026 timeframe.

Annan Park is a separate, more complicated matter because it was partially funded by the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Jamieson explained the complication: LWCF grants carry deed restrictions that prevent the funded site from being removed from park use without federal approval; staff asked whether the district could repay the federal funds to clear the restriction but said the state answered in July 2025 that repayment was not permitted. Instead, Jamieson said, the LWCF program requires a "conversion" process: the restriction gets transferred to replacement park property. That triggers a new series of approvals and the district must identify legally acceptable replacement parcels before an offer can be made. Jamieson said the conversion approval timeline can be lengthy — "it could be 10 months before the conversion is approved" — and staff cannot move to buy or offer on replacement land until they receive more definitive answers from the state.

District staff said they are pursuing multiple routes to finance a new park footprint and construction. Jamieson told the council the district is exploring state grant programs that could match 50 percent of project costs, as well as sponsorships from local employers and private partners. Several council members encouraged the district to pursue those options; one council member suggested reaching out to regional or statewide officials to support grant requests.

Jamieson and Chris proposed forming a "coalition of the willing" — an interagency memorandum of understanding among the city, school districts and the recreation district — to strengthen grant applications and create a shared vision for park development and maintenance. The coalition concept would also consider long-term maintenance funding mechanisms, including assessments that could generate revenue for park upkeep.

Council members broadly expressed support for the district's approach and for continued staff work to identify replacement property and match funding. Several council members thanked the district for the outreach and encouraged continued coordination.

Ending: The council received the informational update; no action was required. Staff said they will continue outreach and return with further updates on property identification, grant applications and project bid timelines.