Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks Capital topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
National City details Las Palmas Park upgrades and moves quickly to obligate ARPA funds
Summary
City engineers and consultants presented plans to replace satellite restrooms, add modular pool facilities and a splash pad (bid alternate) and expand ADA parking; staff said bids are out and contracts need awarding before ARPA funds must be obligated at year-end.
City staff and outside consultants laid out a short timeline and design plans for Las Palmas Park improvements, saying the work is being bid now so the city can obligate its remaining ARPA funds before the end of the year.
Steve Manganel (Director of Engineering and Public Works) presented the project overview and said the city assembled a team, turned around plan sets in less than four months and issued bids. "We have to obligate our remaining ARPA funds by the end of this calendar year," he said, urging an aggressive schedule to award contracts.
Jim Neary, the project landscape architect, described site components: replacement of two satellite restrooms (near the ball fields and near the dog park), a U-shaped modular building for pool support with changing rooms and shower facilities, expansion of the pool deck, shade structures and landscaping. He said the splash pad is shown as a bid alternate and estimated the splash-pad cost "about 1000000 dollar number" in the presentation materials.
Naveen Wani of Platt Whitlaw Architects described two design schemes for the modular pool-house cluster — a gray-and-red scheme that would echo Sweetwater High School colors and a more colorful wayfinding option. He said the modular units would be placed on grade for accessibility and would include a director’s office, lifeguard/snack-shack space, bathrooms and showers capped to suit the swim area.
Council members pressed staff on operational details: how many people can change at once during school swim lessons (staff noted eight family/unisex rooms but discussed mitigation such as coordinating school-site changing), whether restrooms would be air-conditioned (design calls for ventilation rather than AC due to Title 24 moisture constraints), locker counts (staff showed 16 lockers planned with room to expand) and whether demolition of the old building would be a next-phase option (staff said it could be considered depending on bids and funding).
Staff emphasized several cost-control features: the splash pad, shade canopies and some stormwater treatment items are bid alternates so the city can adjust scope depending on bids. If bids come in over budget, staff said some elements could be deferred to later phases. The presentation materials and staff answers provided the council with enough detail to give preliminary direction; the project will return as contracts are recommended for award once bids are evaluated.
Next steps: staff will report bid results in the coming weeks and seek direction on award of contracts to meet ARPA obligation deadlines.
