Residents asked about incomplete park projects and the availability of recreation amenities; Mayor Mary Cole and staff provided an update on Independence Park, pickleball demand and the city natatorium.
Cole said the Independence Park master plan began in 2007, that phase 1 was included in an earlier bond program, and that voters approved additional funding for phase 2 in 2023. She said phase 2 is now entering engineering and that the city will sequence work over several years to manage capacity and debt impacts rather than beginning all projects immediately.
On pickleball demand, a resident suggested painting pickleball lines on existing tennis courts as a low‑cost option. Cole said phase 2 design renderings include increased pickleball presence and that the city is considering more public courts as part of park planning.
City staff announced that the natatorium pool reopened around six weeks earlier after filtration upgrades and pool replastering, and they described noticeably improved water clarity and swimmer experience.
Officials said they will continue stakeholder engagement on park design and encouraged residents to provide input; timing for specific park improvements will depend on engineering schedules and available capacity.