Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks Shade topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
El Mirage approves $342,326 park shade project with $150,000 grant offset
Summary
Council authorized a ShadeNet contract to install six shade structures at pocket parks, Gateway Park splash pad and YMCA pool deck; Tohono O'odham Nation grant offsets $150,000 of the cost.
The El Mirage Common Council on Oct. 21 authorized the city manager to enter into a construction contract with ShadeNet to install six shade structures at Parks & Recreation locations, approving a proposed contract cost of $312,326.61 plus a $30,000 contingency for a total proposed project cost of $342,326.61.
Parks staff said the project includes four shade structures over playground equipment at Dahlia Park, Dreyfus Park, Brown Family Park and Buena Vista Park, a three-post 17-foot cantilever shade for the Gateway Park splash pad and a replacement cantilever structure across the YMCA pool deck. The pocket-park component was originally budgeted at $200,000 in the FY2026 CIP; the current ShadeNet proposal for that work is $155,962.20. Parks staff said they received an alternative pricing response more than $100,000 higher than ShadeNet.
City staff reported a Tohono O'odham Nation 2025 revenue sharing grant award of $150,000 toward the project, which reduces the city’s net commitment to roughly $192,000. The city aims to begin permitting and work this winter and has expressed the intent to have structures installed before next summer’s busy season; staff cited permitting and contractor scheduling as dependent tasks.
Contractor representative JJ Orlando told the council the fabric carries a 15-year warranty and the steel components a 20-year warranty. Parks staff said some existing shade fabric in the city needs periodic repair depending on exposure to wind; the YMCA location in particular receives stronger winds and the existing shade had pulled away from footers and could not be reused, which raised the replacement cost for that piece.
Council members asked about expected useful life, warranty coverage and whether the YMCA could share costs; staff said the city is responsible for capital maintenance at the YMCA site under the reported agreement and the shade is not reusable at other locations. The council approved the contract by voice vote.
Provenance: Presentation and discussion began with Parks staff at the start of the ShadeNet discussion and continued through council questions and the contractor’s warranty statements (transcript references cited below).
