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Commission reviews revised Town Center Park design; commissioners ask about shade, swings and timeline
Summary
City planners presented a revised schematic for Town Center Park that moves the building westward, adds parking, expands permanent shade structures and swaps some equipment locations; commissioners sought clarification on canopy scale, water play and an estimated 8–12 week bidding window after construction drawings are completed.
City planners returned to the commission with a revised schematic design for Town Center Park (Collins Avenue between 174th and 172nd) and described a number of changes intended to respond to earlier commission feedback.
Designer Sarah Lynn Duchi said the updated plan shifts the building farther west to reduce its prominence on Collins Avenue, increases parking from about 13 existing spaces to 23, enlarges restroom capacity and creates an architectural plaza with movable furniture that ties directly into the playground. The plan preserves the open lawn, relocates exercise equipment closer to the existing meditation garden, and incorporates more permanent shade structures and native trees to reduce reliance on storm‑vulnerable fabric canopies.
Duchi said playground features will keep ADA‑accessible swings and add interactive basket‑style swings to increase capacity in a smaller footprint, and the team is proposing a 3–4‑foot landscape berm along Collins to mitigate a wind tunnel effect. When asked about water play, the presenter said a meaningful water‑play feature is being reserved for Heritage Park rather than included in this plan, but misting stations are indicated in the schematic.
Commissioners asked technical questions: whether canopy illustrations are to scale (the presenter confirmed they are), whether the current damaged canopy is being replaced (staff said a replacement was on order and installation scheduled in two weeks), and what the schedule would look like if the commission approved the design. The presenter estimated that, after approval, the project would move to construction drawings and that bidding alone would take roughly 8–12 weeks.
No formal vote was taken at the meeting; the presenter took questions and staff said they would proceed with next‑phase drawings if directed. The record indicates commissioners support continuing toward construction documents while staff refines cost and bidding timelines.
