Shawnee council authorizes bidding for $3.85 million Garrett Park overhaul, including accessible playground and two pickleball courts

The Shawnee City Council on Feb. 24 authorized staff to bid construction of the Garrett Park Improvements Project (PN 3564), a $3,848,000 renovation that the city says will add an accessible playground, a fitness court and two pickleball courts while memorializing the former Garrett House footprint.

Parks and recreation director Tanya LaCure said the project will be funded from the city's Parks & Pipes capital allocation and noted the city accepted a $40,000 grant from the National Fitness Campaign for the fitness-court component. "We did receive a $40,000 grant from the national fitness campaign, and that was accepted by this body, to go towards a fitness component," LaCure said.

The council's authorization allows staff to solicit bids; city documents and staff presentations foresee pre-bid work and contractor selection in May, pre-construction in June and construction starting in summer 2025 with an anticipated wrap-up by the end of 2025. LaCure told the council, "The entire park will be closed down starting this summer'kind of through the fall," meaning ball fields and much of the trail network will be unavailable while work is under way.

Why it matters: The project aims both to upgrade aging park infrastructure and to meet accessibility and ADA transition-plan goals identified in a 2022 review. LaCure said the playground will use a new Volo Air structure with universal design elements, ramps and accessible swings; the plan also includes a fitness court with QR-code stations and a new shelter and interpretation elements marking the footprint of the demolished Garrett House.

Council discussion and mitigation: LaCure described a recent structural assessment of the Garrett House that led to an in-house demolition and the decision to re-use stones as interpretive elements rather than rebuild the house. She said the city worked with the Garrett family and the Monticello Historical Society on the approach. "We did save some stones from that, that will be reused within the new park," she said.

Public-engagement feedback also flagged interest in pickleball; the design calls for two unlit pickleball courts replacing an existing half-court basketball area. LaCure said consultants conducted a sound study and the city will pursue several mitigation measures for nearby homes. "There's about 7 homes that will be within that, within 300 feet of the pickleball courts," she said, adding the city will reach out to the adjacent homeowners as the project advances.

Council members pressed staff on noise mitigation, lighting and overall project timing. Council member Tony said he was sympathetic to neighbors' concerns and urged strong outreach, noting other municipalities had run into disputes over sound and hours for pickleball. Several council members applauded the playground's universal design and the city's effort to locate grant funding.

The contract for architectural services was awarded last year to Vireo; the council previously approved a design contract of $239,182. LaCure said the city accepted the National Fitness Campaign grant to offset costs of the fitness court component.

Action taken: The council voted to authorize staff to bid the Garrett Park Improvements Project (PN 3564). Staff will host pre-bid meetings and return to council with bid evaluations and a recommended contractor.

What's next: Staff will publish bid documents and continue neighbor outreach and permit work. Construction, if bids and scheduling proceed as planned, would begin in summer 2025 and finish by late 2025.