Council directs engineering for Maple Street Park parking and playground upgrades; construction proposed for next fiscal year

Canby councilors and staff discussed Maple Street Park improvements on April 2 after the Parks Advisory Committee recommended expanding the south parking area and replacing aging playground equipment.

Parks advisory members told council that current parking is insufficient on tournament weekends and that the committee prefers removing the smaller south playground and relocating/combining playground equipment into a single modern play area while adding parking where the old play structure sits. Staff presented two options: expand the south parking area (recommended by the advisory committee) or use the adjacent northern property for a larger parking solution; the committee favored the south‑lot expansion to consolidate facilities and preserve the larger grass area for future amenities.

Costs and funding: staff said prior estimates put a playground replacement at roughly $500,000 and the parking expansion at about $250,000; engineering is expected to be significantly less and staff estimated it would likely remain under $50,000 but said they would return with a precise estimate. Public works staff recommended starting engineering now and deferring construction to start after July 1 so construction could be paid from System Development Charges (SDCs) in the next fiscal year rather than from the general fund. The Parks Advisory Committee preferred proceeding on a path that produced the required designs and put the project on the parks capital list so it becomes SDC‑eligible.

Action and next steps: council asked staff to obtain an engineering cost estimate and to bring the item back with a recommended funding plan. Staff will prepare project design, cost estimate and the parks capital list update required for SDC eligibility; the advisory committee will finalize its project list and staff will return with the recommended sequence and budget implications.