Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks And Recreation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Rec and Park approves $6 million from 2020 bond for McLaren Park improvements
Summary
The Recreation and Park Commission approved $6 million in 2020 health-and-recovery bond funds to advance a set of priority improvements across John McLaren Park, including Lewissetter Playground, McNabb Lake water-quality work, Jerry Garcia Amphitheatre upgrades and park-wide infrastructure.
The Recreation and Park Commission on August 23 approved $6,000,000 in proposed expenditures from the 2020 health-and-recovery bond to fund a package of improvements across John McLaren Park.
The money will advance concept plans and early work on projects identified in the park’s 2018 vision plan and subsequent updates: renovations at Lewissetter Playground and McNabb Lake, upgrades to the Jerry Garcia Amphitheatre, planning for restroom and storage replacement at Mansell East Gateway, Shelley Promenade improvements and park-wide infrastructure work including irrigation mapping and trail fixes. Staff said the proposal leverages additional grants and partnerships and that the total near-term work represents a larger, approximately $18 million program of improvements when combined with outside funding.
Commissioners were briefed by Lauren Dietrich Chavez, project manager in Capital and Planning, and Brian Stoekel, planner. Dietrich Chavez said the 2018 vision plan remains relevant and that community engagement from 2022–2025 reaffirmed priorities: trail repairs, accessibility, water quality at McNabb Lake and amphitheater improvements. Staff recommended the $6 million allocation so design and early construction steps can proceed and to position the park for further outside investment.
Staff described a package of “quick start” items and tier‑1 projects. Quick-start work includes updated park maps (with clarified pedestrian vs. multi‑use paths), connector path work between Mansell and Shelley promenades, repaving of primary field paths, bike racks and a pilot tree-inventory/forest plan. Tier‑1 work to be funded by the new allocation includes Lewissetter Playground renewal with a nature‑themed design and a sewer replacement to restore the roundhouse restrooms, an electrical and accessibility upgrade package and seating/lighting work at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheatre, and the South McLaren connectivity project to complete southern and western loop connections to adjacent neighborhoods.
Dietrich Chavez also noted recurring irrigation leaks and showed staff analysis of legacy irrigation lines dating back to 1959; the project includes mapping all irrigation assets into GIS so maintenance can be targeted more efficiently. Staff corrected a typographical error in the written recommendation during the presentation: the park-infrastructure project’s total should read $2,320,000 with $1,670,000 coming from the bond allocation.
Public comment included support from a neighborhood speaker who urged expedited ADA access improvements and better paved paths for strollers and mobility devices. Commissioners asked for confirmation that covered construction would use the city’s prevailing-wage/PLA requirements for large projects and asked staff to circulate the full slide deck. The commission approved the staff recommendation without opposition.
Next steps include completing design documents, pursuing identified grants, and returning to the commission as projects move into construction.
