Council accepts East City Park stage update; staff to seek design services and grant funding

City staff presented an updated concept and cost estimate for the East City Park stage project at the Moscow City Council meeting on Aug. 18 and the council voted to accept the report and allow staff to solicit design services and pursue grant funding.

Background and design: Parks staff said the project vision dates to 2010 and that a restroom building constructed in 2033 (as referenced in staff remarks) was always intended to receive an attached stage at a later date. After the stage roof was removed during routine maintenance, staff engaged Design West to develop a concept and a roughly 30% design and cost estimate. The refined concept presented on Aug. 18 would add roughly 1,100 square feet of construction to the existing restroom building and would widen the stage by about 4 feet; under the base concept the stage depth would remain the same, representing roughly a 12% increase in stage area.

Public outreach: Staff said they undertook public outreach over spring and early summer — open houses, presence at the Ren Faire and the farmers market and individual stakeholder meetings — and reported generally strong support from stakeholders that use the venue. Common feedback included requests to preserve existing trees, to integrate public art and color into the design, to minimize excess paving while keeping accessibility, and to better integrate storage and lighting rooms with the band shell.

Design options and cost: Design West described a basic version matching the restroom building materials and roof slope to make the addition appear integrated with the existing building. The consultant’s detailed cost estimate for the basic project was “just a little below $800,000.” Staff described alternate, larger options: increasing roof coverage and expanding the stage width could produce a platform roughly 50% larger than the existing stage and accommodate larger ensembles. Staff said preliminary design costs for the consultant phase could be roughly over $50,000 and that the FY2026 budget included an $885,000 line for the project, allowing some flexibility for the larger option and design costs. Staff said they would issue a request for qualifications for design services as the next step and pursue grant funding, with an aim to prepare construction documents and pursue construction in spring or summer of the following year.

Council concerns and operational details: Council members raised several operational and design concerns in the discussion. Comments included worries about load-in/load-out logistics, safety and “dark alcoves” behind the stage, respect for the horseshoe pits and open-space character, potential maintenance implications of certain materials (wood versus low‑maintenance materials), and the desire to preserve ADA parking and accessible paths. One council member suggested comparing the cost and flexibility of purchasing a mobile / trailer stage (examples from neighboring jurisdictions) as a short-term or complementary solution; staff and other council members noted trailer stages tend to be generic and do not address long-term needs. Staff said pathway and parking reconfiguration would be addressed in final construction drawings and that disabled parking adjacent to the restroom would be restriped and retained in the same general area.

Vote and direction: A motion to accept the East City Park Stage Project update and provide feedback passed by voice vote; the transcript records council members Hailey (Aye), Julia (Aye), Sandra (Aye) and Drew (Aye). The motion was moved and seconded; staff said their next steps would be to issue an RFQ for design services, pursue grant funding and continue design work, with construction potentially starting in spring or summer of next year.

Why this matters: The project affects use of a major public park, access and circulation within the park, and the city’s ability to host annual events such as Rendezvous in the Park. The design and cost choices will have maintenance and operational implications for parks staff and event organizers.