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Olivette parks staff report splash pad, Greenway updates and rising vandalism
Summary
Staff told the commission the new splash pad is complete but opening depends on parking-lot work; Greenway trail work has delays from weather and user damage; staff also reported a summer increase in vandalism and police-installed trail cameras to identify perpetrators.
Olivette Parks & Recreation staff reported progress on several capital and operations items at the July 17 meeting and flagged rising vandalism in park restrooms.
Staff said the new splash pad installation is finished and plumbing start-up is complete; however, the splash pad cannot open to the public until adjacent parking-lot work is finished. Staff explained the contractor is reclaiming existing concrete on-site to create base material for new asphalt, which lowers hauling costs but led to schedule shifts after rain. They estimated the south parking lot would be finished by the end of the week and other parking work could continue into August.
On the Greenway, staff reported silt and stormwater migration plus some damage from bicycles that required corrective work. Commissioners and attendees asked whether sections were closed; staff indicated some signs had been moved or leaned against trees and pledged to address misleading signage and clarify which segments are open.
Operations updates included a membership and rentals report for the Five Oaks facility: staff said membership levels and rentals are growing, with roughly 100 additional memberships sold in recent months and heavy usage of multipurpose rooms and the Dogwood studio.
Staff warned of an uptick in vandalism this summer: several restroom fixtures were broken and there have been multiple graffiti incidents and other evidence of overnight misuse. The police department is coordinating with parks staff, is installing trail cameras at restrooms and is pursuing identification of local youths allegedly responsible; staff said the city prefers to engage parents and correct behavior rather than criminalize juvenile acts when appropriate. Staff discussed replacement options for restroom fixtures and noted stainless-steel fixtures are costlier and less preferred by patrons.
Commissioners asked about interim solutions for restroom access during high-use periods; staff said portable toilets have been used seasonally and are a modest monthly expense, with contractor servicing.
No city policy changes were made at the meeting. Staff will continue to pursue finishing the parking work, updating trail signage and maps, pursuing planning grants for capital projects and working with police to address vandalism concerns.
