Chino Hills council, parks commission OK continued design for Pinehurst Park community center and splash pad

The Chino Hills City Council on March 11 authorized staff to continue design development of a proposed 11,138-square-foot Pinehurst Park community center and adjacent splash pad, approving the recommendation by a 5-0 vote.

Council action follows a joint meeting with the Parks and Recreation Commission that reviewed architectural plans, site layout, parking and long-term operations for the project at 5800 Park Drive, adjacent to State Route 71.

City Manager Ben Montgomery told the council the city is asking only for direction to proceed with design work and that “we already have sufficient budget allocated to this, so we’re not looking to reallocate dollars.” The city’s current project estimate is $20 million, Montgomery said, with the community center accounting for about $10.5 million and the splash/spray area roughly $2.7 million. The staff report breaks other line items into parking, site work and a roughly $4 million allowance for design, project management and contingencies.

Architects and consultants presented plans showing a 11,138-square-foot building with a lobby and reception area, three classrooms, multipurpose rooms with movable partitions, a teen room, restrooms and back-of-house space. Architect Erica Carvallo described the splash pad layout as two coordinated zones: a concentrated “soak” area and a more circuitous water-exploration area with interactive elements. “The total building square footage is 11,138 square feet,” Carvallo said during the presentation.

Designers and staff emphasized separation of wet and dry spaces. The splash pad’s public restrooms will be accessible only from the splash area; staff and building offices will have controlled access between the splash area and interior rooms to limit wet patrons entering other rooms. The plan includes fabric shade sails and rigid canopies over play areas and a landscaped lawn and seating areas for supervising adults.

Staff told the council the immediate parking plan would add 90 stalls in the main lot plus about six staggered drop-off spaces and an optional overflow lot of 91 stalls, for a possible total of 181 spaces. Council members and commissioners asked for additional details on accessible stalls, bike racks and flag poles; staff agreed to include bike parking and other small amenities in future design submittals.

City recreation staff described expected operating and maintenance costs. Recreation Director Jonathan Marshall gave rough annual estimates for staffing and maintenance: “We’re estimating an approximate cost of over $400,000 per year for the cost of staff to appropriately staff the building,” and public-works maintenance, janitorial, utilities and splash-park upkeep were estimated at about $258,000 per year.

Designers said the splash system will use recycled and filtered water treated to meet health standards. The architects noted Title 24 requirements for solar on the building roof; solar panels are planned for the building, not the fabric shade sails.

Council and commission members praised the design and signaled urgency because construction costs have risen since early planning. Council members and the Parks and Recreation Commission requested follow-up information on traffic/egress, accessible parking counts, security systems and long-term maintenance schedules; staff said those items will be addressed during the next design and environmental review steps.

The formal motion before the council was to approve continuation of the design process and keep the project moving through design review. Council Member Peter moved and Council Member Ray seconded; the motion passed 5-0.

The council and commission agreed the project should proceed to the next phase of detailed design and environmental review, with staff returning to council with refined cost estimates, final parking/access solutions and funding commitments.

Votes at a glance: Motion to continue design development and move the project forward — Passed 5-0.

Background: Pinehurst Park is adjacent to Highway 71 and serves neighborhoods on Chino Hills’s south side. Staff and consultants said the project responds to community requests for additional class and meeting space, teen amenities and a year-round destination-oriented water area that could operate longer than the typical short-season splash pad.

Next steps: Staff will continue schematic and detailed design, incorporate council and commission comments on parking, access, solar, bike facilities and security, refine operations budgets, pursue identified grant and partner funding sources, and return with a more advanced package for further council action.