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Keep Lago Vista Beautiful seeks council backing for accessible Bowden Point walkway and shaded swing set
Summary
Keep Lago Vista Beautiful presented a plan to add an ADA-accessible art/garden walkway and a shaded swing set at Bowden Point, seeking roughly $78,780 for the walkway plus an estimated $17,213 for a swing and an additional $3,000 to make the swing accessible; committee members pressed questions about fence requirements and whether using tree-mitigation funds would reduce money for other parks.
Keep Lago Vista Beautiful asked the parks advisory committee Tuesday to support an ADA-accessible walkway and a shaded swing set at Bowden Point and to back the group's plan when it goes before City Council next week.
"We already have $9,000 approved through the city for the footbridge," Carolyn, the group's representative, said, describing a plan that includes a footbridge and a garden- and art-focused accessible path. She gave the committee an estimate for the walkway of $78,780 and noted an additional $3,000 would be required to make the swing accessible. She said a basic (unshaded) swing set was priced at $17,213 and the group preferred a shaded model; the presentation summarized a grand total in the range of about $110,000 as the likely project cost.
Committee members questioned whether the project could be funded from the city's tree-mitigation fund and how that would affect other park projects. David, a city staff member, said the current ordinance allows tree-mitigation funds to be used for improvements to pocket parks and that Bowden Point falls under the 2-acre threshold, and added his understanding that the mitigation fund balance is "just under $1,000,000" and currently unallocated by council.
Safety drew sustained attention. Several committee members asked whether fencing was required for the swing because the proposed location sits near two busy roads. Carolyn and others noted that federal ADA rules do not mandate fencing and that fencing decisions are typically site-specific. David said the playground-safety guidance references fencing as a judgment call and, in his professional opinion, recommended fencing only if the site conditions warrant it; several members said they would support a fence for parental peace of mind and to limit liability.
Members also raised equity concerns about concentrating funds in one park. "If it starts affecting what we want to do as committee or David wants to do in developing another park, we're going to have to reconsider that," one committee member said, summarizing the view that investments should be spread across neighborhoods.
Carolyn told the committee the group planned to present the project to City Council and asked for the advisory committee's endorsement going into that meeting; members said they would back the plan provided adding fencing does not materially reduce funds available for other planned projects.
Next steps: the group will appear before City Council and the committee asked staff to clarify whether Council would allocate tree-mitigation funds for the project and to provide any requested cost breakdowns. No formal motion or vote was recorded at the meeting.
