Leisure Services Commission reports park accomplishments and details progress on new aquatic center

Sonya Bovine, a member of the Waverly Leisure Services Commission, presented the commission’s annual report at the Nov. 24 City of Waverly study session, reviewing staffing, partnerships, maintenance work and recent accomplishments across parks, the cemetery, trails and recreation programs.

"Our monthly meetings are the third Thursday of the month," Bovine said, reading the commission’s mission and listing members and staff. She reported the commission oversees parks, the cemetery, the pool, the civic center and public grounds, and she noted recent capital and volunteer efforts: completion of phase 2 of the park shop upgrade; kayak launches open at Pelican Park and Ridgewood Park; the all‑inclusive playground at Cedar River Park; and repairs to Arlington Cemetery monuments and surveyed new sections for future sales.

Bovine provided quantitative outputs: "In 2024, we had 15,426 pounds of produce for hungry families during the growing season," and she said the gardens have produced more than 104,000 pounds cumulatively since inception. She acknowledged operational challenges, including difficulty hiring seasonal staff, vandalism, equipment breakdowns and impacts from drought and rain days.

Garrett, a leisure services staff member, then gave a construction update on the new aquatic center. Using recent photos, he described how crews are applying shotcrete to form pool walls and floors, and pointed to installed plumbing inlets and ongoing work on the bathhouse. "This is the guy actually out there pouring, shotcrete or shooting shotcrete, making the walls," Garrett said, describing the process. He said block for the bathhouse had not yet arrived but should in the next few days and that bathhouse work will continue through winter with deck pours and final exterior work expected in spring. He said demolition began in June and that the project’s design and engineering were completed by JEO Consulting Group, with Woodroof Construction serving as general contractor. The aquatic center had been approved by referendum in November and the project remains targeted for the 2026 season.

During council Q&A, members asked about replaced drinking fountains and the number of parks and playgrounds; staff responded that the city manages roughly 24 parks/green spaces and about 14 playgrounds (estimate reported as plus or minus one). Council members thanked commission members and staff and noted a planned retirement for a long‑time employee (Shane Podest).

No formal action was taken on the leisure services items during the study session; staff and the commission will continue work on operations and construction and return with any items requiring council action or budget approvals.