Kenai parks commission recommends CIP with refrigeration replacement removed pending further analysis

The Kenai Parks and Recreation Commission on Oct. 2 voted to recommend the parks projects in the city’s fiscal year 2027–2031 Capital Improvement Plan with one amendment: removal of a $4,000,092 line item for the multipurpose facility refrigeration-system replacement pending further administrative analysis.

Commission senior member Bernard presided over the meeting in the absence of an elected chair or vice chair and called for a motion to recommend the plan. After a staff presentation outlining project costs, a commissioner moved to recommend the CIP as presented but to remove the refrigeration-system replacement cost and retain a design-phase placeholder; the motion passed by unanimous consent.

The action responds to a staff presentation that described several capital items and options. Parks staff said the Old Town playground schematic design, presented as a three‑phase project (FY 2028–2030), included a phase‑one schematic cost of about $600,000 and a total schematic-based build estimate near $1.6 million. Staff emphasized the schematic designs were at roughly 35% completion and said commissioning a full design could produce smaller, tiered build options — for example, “small, medium and large” packages that might reduce the ultimate construction cost.

On the multipurpose facility refrigeration system, staff said the existing arena compressor system relies on R‑22 refrigerant, a product with a shrinking domestic supply and rising cost. Administration presented a range of long‑term options — stockpiling R‑22, converting to synthetic refrigerants with possible Environmental Protection Agency concerns, switching to an ammonia system, or moving to a CO2‑based system — and estimated that some conversion options could cost several million dollars. Staff reported an earlier placeholder of $500,000 had been used in past drafts; a recent draft analysis included a roughly $4.0 million figure for full system replacement but remained incomplete.

Commissioners and staff agreed the refrigeration replacement number required more administrative review. The commission’s amendment removes the $4,000,092 replacement cost from the recommended CIP and retains a design-phase budget as a placeholder so that administration — including public works, the city manager and appropriate vendors — can evaluate conversion options and present a final recommendation in a later draft.

Other capital items discussed included roof design and replacement work for the multipurpose facility, relocation and design for a parks and recreation maintenance shop, and continuing phased estimates for Old Town playground replacement. Staff repeated that the playground equipment has exceeded its useful life and that parts are no longer available, noting that a full design procurement could produce lower-cost build alternatives than the existing schematic.

The commission’s recommendation will move to city council for consideration in the city’s CIP adoption process. The motion to recommend the CIP with the refrigeration replacement removed passed by unanimous consent during the Oct. 2 meeting.