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Council prioritizes Indian Trails safety and Southern Rec parking; skate‑park plan moved to master‑planning and design phase
Summary
Councilors directed staff to use remaining Indian Trails funds for player safety and batting cages, to pursue expanded parking at Southern Recreation Center, and to study skate‑park locations and a phased design approach rather than immediate large construction.
City staff told the council the Indian Trails Sports Complex has roughly $960,000 remaining from an earlier allocation and proposed a short list of finish‑work projects: outfield safety netting and a partial outfield fence extension (estimated around $110,000), batting cages (roughly $40,000) and a modest raised bullpen fence.
Councilors directed staff to prioritize safety improvements and the batting‑cage work and to prepare a phased plan for additional parking at the Southern Recreation Center (SRC). Staff estimated that a full‑scope SRC parking and site‑work project could approach about $800,000–$1,000,000 depending on grading, stormwater and lighting; council asked that staff identify a reduced initial scope that could be expanded later so major infrastructure (stormwater, drive aisles, and ponding) is in place to minimize future rework costs.
Residents and youth advocates urged the council to invest in a modern concrete skate park rather than prefabricated ramps. A group of young speakers described Ralph Carter’s small, aging facility as inadequate and called for a centrally located, larger concrete park. Staff and councilors discussed several possible sites, including a parcel at the YMCA/Towne Center and the Bridal Zamba pool property; staff said a master plan and site‑selection study would be the first step and that park impact fees and CRA match opportunities could fund at least part of a project.
Council’s near‑term direction: prioritize Indian Trails safety items and batting cages, pursue incrementally expanded SRC parking within available funds, and direct staff to return with site options, a phasing plan and design costs for a skate park so the project can be added to the capital plan and pursued when funding is identified.
