Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks And Recreation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council hears plan for splash pad, dog park and dial‑a‑ride signups; schedules community blood drives
Summary
Council discussed recreation improvements—an estimated $225,000–$235,000 splash‑pad and related amenities—and heard that the dial‑a‑ride program has more than 400 signups; a community organizer said a mobile blood‑donation provider can run drives every six months and the city will propose January and June dates.
Council members discussed community services and recreation projects, including a dial‑a‑ride program, splash‑pad estimates, a conceptual dog park and plans for recurring blood drives.
A commissioner reported that the dial‑a‑ride program launched recently and "they've had over 400 people signed up for it already," noting that signups exceed early expectations though actual usage numbers were not provided. The same commissioner presented cost estimates for a splash pad (equipment around $110,000) and installation (about $50,000) and sketched ancillary amenities: a 100×100 dog park (fencing estimated at about $15,000), a pavilion for shading (an additional $20,000–$30,000) and a potential parking lot (about $30,000). The commissioner summarized total preliminary project costs in the range of $225,000–$235,000 and said the project could proceed in spring pending coordination and possible grant matches.
Council members discussed working with the park district on land-lease or shared-use issues, applying for match grants (potentially reducing the city’s share), and the need for advertisement and publicity. The commissioner said the city had sought better pricing through conference contacts and had found smaller, more affordable splash‑pad options than several high‑cost proposals previously reviewed.
Josh, a community organizer, briefed the council on options with a large mobile blood‑donation provider (named in the transcript as "first Diversity"), saying the vendor can run mobile buses or indoor set‑ups and is willing to schedule drives every six months or more often. "They're more than willing to come on out," Josh said; council members agreed to identify several possible dates in January and June to pass to the vendor.
No funding sources, grant approvals, or final design decisions were made at the meeting; council members emphasized further coordination with the park district and staff to finalize costs and schedules.
