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Englewood bond rollout: oversight committee, project manager hiring and multiple park RFPs set the schedule
Summary
City staff said the bond sale moved to early April, a project manager role will be posted in mid-March, and oversight committee meetings will likely be Thursdays at 2 p.m.; RFPs for the recreation center and Pirates Cove are active and park projects (Cushing, Emerson, Rotolo, Miller, Bellevue, Bard, Clarkson) are in various design stages.
City staff gave a multi-part update Feb. 12 on the implementation of Englewood’s recently approved parks-and-rec bond, including a revised bond-sale schedule, a planned project-manager hire and the formation of an internal oversight committee that will include a Parks and Recreation Commission representative.
Director Christina Underhill told commissioners the bond sale, originally scheduled for March, is now expected in early April. The city plans to post a project-manager job in mid-March and have the manager onboard by early April to coordinate projects, financing and schedules.
Underhill said the oversight committee will be largely internal — finance, public works, community development, inspectors and communications — but that the commission should name a member to sit on the committee. The committee is expected to meet on Thursdays at 2 p.m., with hybrid (in-person and Teams) options; frequency may be weekly during initial rollout and taper to every two weeks or monthly as projects progress.
Staff emphasized transparency and public engagement. Underhill said the city will post project updates on the Englewood Engaged website and hold public design meetings; commissioners were asked to attend community engagement events and report back to council where relevant.
Project status and procurement highlights given to the commission included:
- Recreation Center (ERC): Pre-proposal meeting drew about 30 vendors; the RFP closes next week and optional design items include a plunge/cold-plunge pool as an add-on scope.
- Pirates Cove: Pre-proposal meeting held; the RFP closes March 13.
- Cushing Park: Approximately 90% design is complete and the project is out to bid; Cushing is expected to be among the first construction starts once bond funds are available.
- Emerson Park: Staff reported 70% construction drawings and imminent design team meetings.
- Rotolo Park: Progress slowed by concurrent stormwater work; 70% drawings expected by April, with construction likely later in the year.
- Miller, Bellevue, Bard and Clarkson parks: Design firms have been assigned; those parks are in design for 2026–27 delivery.
Underhill told the commission the bond requires the city to spend 85% of proceeds within three years (she cited 85% equaling $38,000,000) and that the city has three years to meet the primary spending goals while remaining transparent about programmatic and cost parameters council set when approving the bond.
Staff said they will reserve regular time on future commission agendas for oversight-committee updates and that the project-manager notes and rolling notebook will be public.
