Trails completed, rinks planned and winter celebration set as park staff update community offerings

Park staff provided a multi-part update on Nov. 25 covering completed trail work, ADA improvements and upcoming community events.

Staff said trail replacement work at the Blaine Baseball Complex has been completed and that contractor Diversified Paving — which previously worked on Deakins Park — won the bid. Jerome described temporary ADA ramps and said railings and full ADA corrections will be completed in spring when the contractor returns to address slope requirements and install railings and push-button access tied to the facility keypad.

The board also heard an event announcement: the city’s winter celebration is scheduled the Sunday after Thanksgiving and will include a children’s shopping event, live music at City Hall, Santa, trolley rides near the community garden and hourly raffles of donated prizes. Staff encouraged families to attend and said many raffle items are low-cost donations.

On outdoor rinks, staff said the city aims to open rinks roughly the week before schools break for the holiday (around Dec. 20), described differences between lighted, staffed rinks and unstaffed rinks, and confirmed the city does not rent skates — residents should use the National Sports Center or local sports shops for rentals.

Staff also highlighted the Marianne Young Center’s Thanksgiving lunch for seniors and announced that Anjanowski, a 38-year staff member, will retire in January; staff thanked volunteers who help run senior events and programming.

The board recessed until January and approved adjournment.