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Staff ask council to advance year‑round ice‑and‑park concept at old PD site to 30% design
Summary
Urban renewal staff proposed a year‑round ice rink and park at the old police department site — a 7,000–9,000 sqft rink with flexible programming — and asked council to authorize moving the concept to 30% design with a target construction budget of $4–6 million.
Redmond urban renewal staff presented a refined concept for a year‑round ice‑and‑park project at the old police department site and asked council to approve taking the design to the 30% development stage.
Megan Gaffner, renewal staff, summarized community and council feedback and said the recommended concept emphasizes year‑round programming, downtown activation and fiscal responsibility. The proposed in‑ground rink would be roughly 7,000–9,000 square feet with supporting amenities (restrooms, concessions, seating, shade) and flexible plaza space that could host non‑ice uses in warmer months. Staff identified a target construction cost of $4–5 million but said they would budget up to $6 million to cover contingencies.
Gaffner said the goal is to balance capital and operations while maximizing public use and supporting downtown businesses. "What we heard from you is that this project needs to provide value, meet a community need, really support our downtown business community," she said. The design aims for flexibility — the rink surface could be configured for ice or other uses, and programmable kiosk or vendor space is anticipated as part of design development.
Staff requested council approval to move the concept to a 30% design development package and return multiple checkpoints to council for decisions on details and final funding. No formal vote was recorded during the informal session; staff said the item will return to council for additional review and decision points as the design progresses.
If council directs staff to proceed, the project would proceed into design development in early 2026 and return for future council review on scope, budget and operating plans.
