Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks Maintenance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board proposes volunteer cleanup and 10th‑anniversary refresh of the Big Toy; memorial fundraising advances
Summary
Board members proposed two staged volunteer weekends to clean and restore the Big Toy at Keizer Rapids Park ahead of a 10th‑anniversary reopening; staff noted surface repairs may be required before cosmetic work. Separately, the Keizer Gold Star Family memorial project reported new fundraising progress and a March 31 fundraiser.
Members of the Keizer Parks and Recreation Advisory Board discussed plans to stage volunteer cleanup and restoration weekends for the “Big Toy” play structure at Keizer Rapids Park and to mark the facility’s upcoming 10th anniversary.
Board members said the work would likely require two staggered weekends: an initial top‑to‑bottom cleaning using appropriate cleaners to remove algae and grime, followed by a week for surfaces to dry and a second weekend for artists and volunteers to touch up artwork and make aesthetic repairs. Councilor Parsons and board volunteers have been coordinating outreach to local artists and volunteers to preserve and restore the play structure’s painted features.
Staff cautioned that surface repairs are a prerequisite for some cosmetic work. “One of the biggest things that needs to be done really before we can do any of that work is the surface needs to be fixed. There’s holes in the surface,” a board member said; staff will evaluate whether repairs must occur before July 1 or can wait until the next fiscal year. The board asked staff to prepare a plan, timeline and budget and to solicit artists and volunteer teams; members suggested announcing the effort in April and conducting work around the June anniversary if surface repairs can be scheduled.
The board also reviewed a range of other volunteer projects and partners: an Eagle Scout interest in building park garbage receptacles, ongoing skate‑park volunteer maintenance, and the Civic Center cleanup event scheduled for the coming weekend. Staff noted a youth grant balance and encouraged applicable volunteer groups to apply for remaining funds for summer projects.
Separately, staff and board members updated the meeting on the Keizer Gold Star Family Memorial project. Councilor Parsons and the Keizer Elks contributed $5,000 toward the monument and the project has a guaranteed matching pledge (noted at the meeting as a $2,000 match). Staff said the city has applied for a grant to support the remainder of the cost; a fundraiser is scheduled for March 31 to help reach the fundraising goal. Staff anticipated ordering the monument on a timeline that could allow installation by September pending final funding and site work.
Board members asked staff to coordinate volunteer recruitment, materials and schedules and to return to the board with a detailed work plan and any budget requests needed to complete surface repairs ahead of volunteer cleanup.
