TUALATIN, Ore. — City parks staff told the Tualatin City Council on Oct. 27 that construction is underway on the Nyberg Creek trail connection, design work and contractor selection for the future Riverfront Park are moving toward the hiring of an owner’s representative, and planning for athletic-field improvements — including a possible partnership with the Tualatin School District — is entering a feasibility phase.

The update came from Justin Schull, Parks and Recreation director, and Kira Hyen, the department project manager, who briefed council members on progress since the parks-and-trails bond passed and on several ARPA- and utility-fee-funded projects. ‘‘Since last April, it's been 6 months, and so we've made a lot of progress since then,’’ Schull said at the start of the presentation.

Why it matters: The bond-funded program covers trail connections, river access, athletic-field improvements, natural-area protection and play equipment. Construction and design decisions made now will shape where residents recreate and how the city budgets for ongoing maintenance and operations.

Most important facts

- Nyberg Creek trail: Staff said the Nyberg Creek trail (East of I-5, running from Saggart to SE 60th Avenue) is a local, 8-foot-wide concrete path about three-quarters of a mile long and under construction. Justin Schull said the project had its first concrete pour the week before the meeting and that a second pour was scheduled for the following Thursday. The contractor listed in the presentation was Nutter Corp. Staff estimate the segment will be completed in 2026.

- Riverfront Park design timeline: The city will issue an owner’s-representative RFP in early November to guide preplanning through design, construction and closeout for the Riverfront Park parcel near Boone’s Ferry and the library. Staff hope to have an owner’s rep on board soon after the new year, a design firm before spring, and community engagement beginning in summer 2026. Schull said the city is also working with the Sustainable City Year program and university students (architecture students from the University of Oregon and engineers from Oregon State University) this fall on timber/park-feature concepts to inform the final design.

- Athletic fields and school partnership: Staff presented results of a site-ranking exercise for partnerships with the Tualatin School District. They said Tualatin Elementary School scored highest on feasibility criteria (topography, parking, utilities and access) and is the leading candidate for a new multiuse sports facility. The city plans a feasibility study and cost estimates; safety and improvement work (backstops, ADA access, bleachers, lights and dugouts) will proceed once cost estimates for the larger partnership are clearer. Schull said council could begin to see work on athletic-field projects by summer or fall 2026, contingent on budgeting and coordination with scheduling for sports.

- Playgrounds and accessibility: The department said it will replace the Tualatin Community Park playground using the park utility fee with construction targeted for spring (April). After vendor presentations from Ross Recreation and Buell Recreation, staff reported that the advisory group preferred Buell Recreation’s design. Staff also described engagement with more than 400 children during summer camp and Viva LaTualatin to choose play elements and colors. The new playground will expand capacity to more than 200 children and include synthetic turf and inclusive features such as a ramped, 360-degree slide that staff said ‘‘allows a wheelchair user to wheel up to the bottom of the slide’’ and remain part of the experience.

- ARPA-funded projects: Las Casitas playground work is nearing completion, with staff estimating construction open in December or January and planning a ribbon-cutting with neighborhood liaison Betsy. Basalt Creek Linear Park (between Awn and Sunrise and adjacent to affordable housing) is planned as a two-phase project, with basic trail and landscaping expected to go out for construction in late spring or early summer and additional amenities to be determined through future community engagement when the area is more occupied.

Maintenance and safety discussion

Councilor Gonzales raised maintenance concerns for new playgrounds and turf, noting past practice ‘‘we as a city have not set dollars to maintain these parks’’ and warning about long-term maintenance needs. Schull responded that the department is implementing independent playground audits and routine maintenance plans and is investing in equipment and staffing to sustain new assets. ‘‘It’s really easy to build something nice and then walk away from it and come back 5 years later and it's in disarray,’’ Schull said. He described tradeoffs between engineered wood fiber (EWF) chips and unitary synthetic turf: chips require frequent replenishment to meet safety-depth requirements and can be displaced; turf has higher upfront cost and different maintenance needs (blowing, sweeping, motorized equipment) but can improve accessibility.

On inclusivity, Schull said the chosen playground design prioritizes access: ‘‘A wheelchair user can wheel up to the bottom of the slide, get out of their chair if they can transfer, and they can go up instead of stairs. ... They never really have to disengage from the playground and their friends.’’

Decisions, directions and next steps

- Staff said they will post an RFP for an owner’s representative for Riverfront Park in early November and expect to have the contract awarded shortly after the new year.

- Staff and the advisory committee selected Buell Recreation (referred to in the presentation as Buell/Buhl) as the preferred playground vendor for Tualatin Community Park; construction is planned to begin in April (spring) with a grant of $100,000 contributing toward an approximately $1 million project cost (staff characterized this as ‘‘almost a million dollars for quite a bit less’’).

- Staff will proceed with a feasibility study and rough order-of-magnitude cost estimates for the school-district partnership to expand athletic-field capacity; additional safety and ADA upgrades at existing fields will follow as budget allows.

- Las Casitas is slated to open in December or January; community ribbon-cutting details will be announced.

What was not decided

Council members agreed to hear a future presentation from a sober-grad-night committee but did not commit city funds that evening; staff noted outside-agency grant funding and future fiscal-year budget processes would govern any financial support. No formal council votes on ordinance or budget items occurred during this work session segment.

Context and background

Schull and Hyen framed the items as work progressing from preconstruction to community engagement, with several projects sequenced to align with seasonal construction windows and sports schedules. The parks-and-trails bond funds multiple project categories; staff also highlighted complementary funding sources such as ARPA, grants and the park utility fee.

Ending

Staff asked councilors to contact the Parks and Recreation Department if they are not receiving project updates through the department’s usual communication channels. Schull and Hyen thanked council and the advisory committees for support; the work session moved on to other agenda items after questions and brief discussion.