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Council sends park master plan back to Park & Rec to refine playground and west‑side parking options
Summary
After public commenters urged preserving the community-built wooden playground, the council directed the parks and recreation board to produce prioritized options and cost estimates focused on the play area (including preserving or rehabilitating the 'wooden park') and west-side parking, and to return with proposals for public input.
Public commenters and several councilmembers urged preserving Sheldon’s distinctive wooden playground as the council reviewed a draft park master plan, and the council directed the parks and recreation board to refine priorities and return with costed options.
Mary Winchester and Julie Jenson, both residents who spoke during the public comment period, asked the council to preserve the community-built “Playground Paradise,” described as a unique wooden play structure that draws families to the city park. Winchester urged broad public involvement and said the playground was a strong community symbol; Jenson said the structure’s maintenance has historically relied on volunteers and expressed concern about deterioration and graffiti.
Council members debated whether the wooden structure could be rehabilitated to meet modern accessibility standards or whether a new play area should be built that preserves the playground’s creative character. Staff noted rough cost estimates in the master plan: a play structure in the $600,000–$700,000 range, a splash pad in the low‑to‑mid $300,000 range, and parking/ADA improvements in the low hundreds of thousands; the meeting record also referenced an overall multi‑million‑dollar project scope.
After discussion, the council passed a motion directing the parks and recreation board to explore options for the playground area (including rehabilitation or replacement) and west‑side parking, to prepare estimated costs and to return with proposals and public engagement plans. Several councilmembers emphasized the need for clear, prioritized recommendations and cost estimates before the council commits to funding.
Next steps: Park & Rec will conduct additional outreach, prepare a prioritized options list with estimated costs and present recommendations to the council for further public review.
