Sandpoint parks staff set Oct. 4 grand opening for Traverse sports center; batting cages, picnic shelter and noise fixes underway

City parks staff told the Sandpoint Parks and Recreation Commission on Aug. 13 that work at the new Traverse sports center and Trappers Park is largely complete and that a ribbon-cutting and grand-opening celebration is planned for Oct. 4.

Staff said the center’s HVAC and air-pressure problems that caused interior doors to be forced open have been corrected. Parks staff also reported an ongoing, localized noise issue from an exterior HVAC unit that disturbs a neighboring residence early in the morning; staff said they plan to enlarge a fence around the unit and add sound attenuation to reduce the impact.

The commission heard that two state-of-the-art batting cages, including 70-foot rolls of turf and a pulley/tunnel system, have been delivered and are being staged in a storage shed; contractors are scheduled to pour footings within a month so the batting tunnels will be “in the ground ready to use,” staff said. Parks staff also said they have selected a licensed concrete contractor to pour the foundation pad for a prefabricated timber picnic shelter; engineering calculations for the shelter are required before a building permit will be issued.

Vanessa Vazquez of the Sandpoint library board has arranged a $5,000 sponsorship from the East Bonner County Library board to install a Born Learning Trail — an interpretive, early-learning loop of signs and interactive games around the playground — which staff said will cost the city nothing to install. Staff said that feature is expected to be installed in September.

Parks staff also updated commissioners on operations inside the sports center: a new court-cover mat system is arriving, volunteer coordinator interviews are under way, and programming for tennis, pickleball and community events has strong early demand. Staff said a new membership profile and an app-based reservation system will eliminate daily entry fees for members and simplify payments; staff noted they are considering limiting cash handling in the facility.

Commissioners pressed staff for calendar invites and more notice about the Oct. 4 event so commissioners can attend; staff agreed to circulate details when they are finalized. No formal commission vote was taken on the items reported.

The commission also received a summary of fee changes that staff said city council is reviewing; staff described a roughly 20% increase in field reservations and a revised ticketed-event reporting process for high-school football that moves attendance estimates to the time of reservation.

Looking ahead, staff said the remaining Trappers Park pieces that might not be installed by Oct. 4 include the 15-by-30-foot custom-painted shade structure for the skate park, which is being manufactured off-site and may not arrive until after October. Staff said they would likely install that shade structure in spring if it does not arrive in time.

Commissioners asked for monthly utilization and revenue reporting once the new reservation software is live; staff said the system will provide daily data and that staff can provide access for commissioners to review utilization and revenue reports.

Ending: Parks staff said work at Traverse and Trappers Park will continue through the fall with the goal of a public grand opening Oct. 4, and commissioners asked staff to circulate event details and implementation timelines as permits and deliveries are finalized.