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Parks and Recreation seeks funds for staffing, naming-rights revenue grows, playground repairs and pool maintenance included in CIP
Summary
Parks staff presented options to expand part-time staffing hours, outlined naming-rights revenues already received for turf fields and pickleball courts, and requested CIP funding for outdoor pool replastering in coming years.
Chris Conyers, Winchester Parks director, presented the Parks and Recreation portion of the FY2026 proposed budget and described three funding options tied to service levels.
Chris said the department is recommending modest increases to part-time staffing to improve instructor pay and to extend building hours under higher scenarios. Chris highlighted new revenue from naming rights: naming rights revenue for the Preston turf fields has begun to arrive and proceeds are being held in a Community Foundation fund to support future turf replacement. The pickleball-court naming-rights program is live, and Parks leadership said they expect naming-rights revenue to grow.
Committee members raised maintenance questions, asking about a boarded playground at Jim Barnett Park. Chris said the city had contracted a playground company to replace a playground at Timberbrook Park after a vehicle struck it; while on site the company will also address repairs at Jim Barnett Park. Chris said specialized playground repair contractors must be scheduled and that repairs are expected in March. Committee members also discussed the condition of Family Land playground, which staff said is near the typical 20–25 year lifecycle and is ranked highest in the CIP for replacement.
The indoor and outdoor pools were discussed. Staff said outdoor pool attendance rose to roughly 18,000 for the previous summer and that the CIP includes options for $250,000 (Option 2) and $500,000 (Option 3) for pool maintenance and more substantial work; staff recommended considering more extensive upgrades within a 3–5 year planning horizon.
Why it matters: Parks staff described mixing one-time capital (naming-rights receipt and CIP projects) with recurring personnel decisions. Committee members supported selling naming opportunities and urged the department to pursue a mix of large and smaller sponsors to diversify revenue. Staff also signaled that playground repairs for Jim Barnett will be completed soon and are not expected to be funded from general contingency because the work is being addressed through existing contracts and insurance in the vehicle-strike case.
Provenance: Parks presentation and discussion spanned staffing, naming rights, playground repair scheduling and pool CIP funding.
