Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Boswell Park topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board discusses future of Boswell Park; district retains title but city/county maintained park under past agreements
Summary
Board members discussed Boswell Park history, current maintenance concerns and possible educational uses if the district retains the site; staff said USD 501 holds legal title and earlier agreements gave the city/county exclusive use in exchange for maintenance.
The Topeka Public Schools board discussed the future of Boswell Park on Wednesday, including historical agreements that give the district legal title while the city and county historically provided mowing and maintenance.
Staff told the board USD 501 holds legal title to Boswell Park but that since 1977 the city and later the county had exclusive use arrangements and performed maintenance in exchange for that use. Presenters said past agreements also allowed the city or county to make improvements with board approval.
Teaching-and-learning staff presented possible instructional uses for the park if the district retains it: interpretive signs and stations (similar to a nature trail), music concerts and movies in the park, STEM activities such as model rocketry and geocaching, monarch-butterfly tagging and a butterfly garden, art installations tied to nature, and curriculum-connected stations linked to Brown v. Board history and the park’s historical significance.
Board members raised immediate maintenance concerns. Community members and board members said some playground equipment is deteriorated and hazardous; staff said they have photographs and will verify outstanding commitments for equipment repair. The board asked staff to include Boswell Park in an upcoming facilities assessment so the district can estimate costs to repair or replace playground equipment and to determine ongoing maintenance needs.
No final decision was made at the meeting. Board members discussed the option of retaining ownership and investing to improve and program the park, or seeking alternatives if the district chooses not to make that commitment. Staff said if the board decides to retain Boswell Park, the district must be prepared to continue maintenance and to fund equipment repairs or replacements.
Board members asked staff to incorporate Boswell Park into the facilities assessment this year and to report back with a cost estimate and recommended next steps. The board also discussed community expectations about neighborhood safety and property upkeep and emphasized the need to be good neighbors if the district retains the property.
