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Parkland outlines Wedge Preserve progress and FY26 park improvement priorities
Summary
Senior staff provided construction updates for Wedge Preserve Park (site work and ponds in place) and presented a list of proposed Fiscal Year 2026 park projects, including Pine Trails basketball improvements, LED sports lighting, Tamar Park lake excavation, Liberty splash pad replacement and other playground and restroom upgrades.
Christine Garcia, senior director of operational services and projects, briefed the advisory board on capital projects and the proposed Fiscal Year 2026 park improvement list.
Garcia displayed progress photos from Wedge Preserve Park and told the board the project is on a 19‑month schedule. “We are projecting, again, just to keep in mind, it's a 19 month schedule. So where does that land us? It lands us around November 2026, pending that we get no storms and major weather delays and so forth,” Garcia said. She described clearing, pond excavation and grading completed in recent months.
Garcia and staff provided updates on several other projects: Covered Bridal Park playground equipment has been ordered and old deteriorated nature‑wood pieces removed; Tamar Park expanded parking is at 100% construction documents and permit review; Terramar Park back playground design was approved by the City Commission and equipment procurement is pending contract finalization; Liberty Park restroom remodel achieved a temporary certificate of occupancy while awaiting an HVAC component; and the Pine Trails playground received safety repairs and additional warranty‑covered replacements are being pursued.
For Fiscal Year 2026 the proposed projects presented to the board included:
- Pine Trails Park: basketball court seating plus shade canopies and LED sports lighting upgrades; concession building restroom improvements; sensory and communication board additions. - Tamar Park: lake demucking/excavation to increase water volume and support park irrigation; front playground lighting upgrades; expanded parking (construction documents and permits submitted). - PREC: AC condenser replacement for the triller system. - Liberty Park: splash pad replacement and building/pavilion roof replacements. - Doris Davis Pavilion: roof replacement and continued roll‑out of AED and Stop the Bleed stations at parks.
Garcia said items on the list will be scheduled considering permitting, bidding cycles and league seasons so that construction conflicts are minimized. Staff also emphasized efforts to incorporate accessible surfacing and inclusive play elements at multiple sites; Felicia Trainer noted inclusive design choices and the addition of communication boards where community needs warrant them.
No final commission appropriations were enacted at this advisory meeting; Garcia said budget hearings have begun and the board will see further timelines and procurement details as projects move into procurement and construction phases.
