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Council reviews updated PROS plan; Cir Park improvements, orchard RCO grant and trail connections highlighted
Summary
City staff briefed council on the six‑year Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan update, reporting completed projects (inclusive playground, ADA restroom, skate ramps), a secured RCO grant for Currant Orchard, new trail connections and land acquisitions that expand habitat and trail links.
City public‑works leadership presented an update to University Place’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan on June 1, outlining six years of completed work and next steps backed by grant funding and land acquisitions.
Director of Public Works Jack Aklland told the council that the city’s recent accomplishments included the accessible inclusive playground and ADA family restroom at Cir Park, a paved perimeter trail with exercise stations, skate‑park ramps, gateway signage and a veterans plaza. He described the Cir Park master plan as complete and said some elements moved into implementation.
Aklland and Deputy Director Deborah Kelly Sage highlighted a set of prioritized projects across the city: Currant Orchard improvements supported by a newly secured RCO grant (new playground, permanent restroom, parking and habitat enhancements); trail and boardwalk connections between Paradise Pond and adjacent wetlands; acquisition of the former Mario’s Landscaping parcel at Adriana Hess to extend trails and expand wetland access; and improved access and parking at Kobayashi and Chambers Creek trailheads.
Public comment and council concerns Public comment included a request that the city give more attention to shoreline public access. Gordon McCra of the University Place Shoreline Public Access Coalition warned that the draft parks work had not included shoreline‑access projects and urged the council to close that gap: “Public access to the Puget Sound is limited in our city,” he said.
Council members raised operational and safety considerations: lighting and security around park entrances, additional seating and picnic areas, bike parking and parking management at larger trailheads, and whether AED placement is feasible given theft and maintenance concerns. Several council members asked that historic and interpretive signage be expanded at Homestead and other parks; staff confirmed coordination with the historical society.
Grants, timelines and next steps Aklland said the Currant Orchard RCO grant will move into construction later in 2026 and that Homestead Park’s environmental clearance is advancing; he said the city aims to adopt the updated PROS plan by the end of June to preserve grant eligibility for the current funding cycle. Staff offered to return with specific design and budget items for council approval and recommended a follow‑up tour of parks so council members could view project sites.
What’s next Council directed staff to bring the updated PROS plan to a future consent agenda for adoption to preserve the city’s eligibility for state grants and to follow up with additional details about lighting, ADA access, parking and shoreline access options.
