Parks board endorses broad priorities for $6 million parks bond, urges focus on playground safety and William Houston

The Saginaw Parks Board on Feb. 2 recommended that city council prioritize a set of park improvements if voters approve a proposed parks bond, endorsing upgrades at William Houston Park, Willow Creek North, Highland Station and Sagewood with an emphasis on replacing aging playground equipment, adding pickleball courts and improving trail connectivity.

The board heard a presentation from Laura Presley, a landscape architect with Kimley Horn, who reviewed concepts and cost estimates developed from the 2021 parks master plan and subsequent community and council feedback. Presley said the estimates include survey, design, bidding, construction-phase services, inflation and a 20% contingency. She reported Area 1 (William Houston field and parking) at $4,675,000 and Area 2 (the playground) at $2,200,000, saying the two areas together represent "just about 7,000,000 total cost for the fields, parking, and playground." The consultant and board members used a $6,000,000 placeholder bond figure for planning guidance, which board members acknowledged could change at council direction.

Why it matt…