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Rawhide Trail to widen to 12 feet; Liberty Plaza concepts, Mercer and Square Park design progress reported
Summary
Staff told the board that Rawhide Trail Phase 3 will widen the trail to a 12-foot standard, add sidewalk connections and solar lighting, with construction slated to start in early–mid July and a target completion by early January 2027. Staff also updated the board on Mercer and Square Park final design work and said Liberty Plaza concepts will go to City Council on July 7.
City parks staff gave an update on several capital projects, including the Rawhide Trail Phase 3 contract, Liberty Plaza concepts, and ongoing design work for Mercer and Square Park.
Maria (parks project staff) described Phase 3 of Rawhide Trail as largely a widening and connection project: the trail will be expanded from the current 8-foot width to a 12-foot design standard, with a few additional sidewalk connections, solar lighting, and a direct sidewalk to the Fort Rawhide playground. Bids have been returned; staff said construction is planned to begin in early–mid July (after Independence Day) and target completion by early January 2027, weather permitting. The bid included a potential allowance to remove a small number of trees (staff estimated nine to ten as a conservative bid allowance) and said any removed trees would be replaced.
Staff also briefed the board on Mercer Park and Square Park, which remain in design with a goal to finish final designs by the end of the summer and prepare bid packages by the end of the year. Council may consider reallocating funding to these projects; staff said they will bring updates if allocations change.
On Liberty Plaza, staff said City Council selected a new site near the Rose Garden and Keenan Cemetery; the plan is to move existing veterans memorial elements from the current plaza to the new location. Concepts were delayed from a previous meeting and are now slated to go before Council on July 7, with a subsequent board briefing in August.
During discussion, staff noted the opportunity to reuse athletic lighting from a nearby school construction project to reduce city costs, and emphasized coordination with the school district on drainage, parking, and shared use of leftover space. Board members asked about floodplain risk at the new Liberty Plaza site and whether an enclosed structure was feasible; staff said the planned footprint would be smaller and largely exterior, but that grading and floodplain delineation remain under review.
Staff will return with concept renderings after the council presentation and will provide updated timelines and tree-replacement plans in August.
