Parks committee proposes 'Cherry Valley City Park and Sports Complex'; council to apply for $100,000 park grant

Emily McGee, who identified herself as a member of the city parks committee, told council the committee wanted to keep the park name aligned with its purpose and recommended "Cherry Valley City Park And Sports Complex." She said the committee will present recognition criteria and options for plaques and donations at the next council meeting.

A council member moved to accept the park name and asked staff and the parks committee to develop written criteria for recognizing individuals by plaque or donation; the council agreed to review those criteria at a future meeting.

Council also considered park finances and a grant application. The meeting record shows $37,356.87 has been spent on the park and $29,001.27 was donated; staff cited a cumulative city cost of roughly $508,229.77 to date. Council approved Resolution No. 4, 2026 to apply for a park grant (noted in the meeting as about $100,000) to complete a walking trail and add parking.

Staff described next steps if the grant is pursued: the town engineer will finalize drawings and specifications, the state review often takes one to two days, and the project would be advertised for bids for three weeks with a likely bid opening in late August or early September. If awarded, the grant money would be used to complete the walking trail and additional parking as bid results allow.

Council also discussed operational issues tied to the park: mowing and maintenance arrangements, constrained parking because of wastewater treatment plant construction, and a plan to survey adjacent property and potentially approach Orchard Apartments to acquire land for parking.

The council approved the motion to apply for the grant by voice vote and asked staff to continue with bid preparation and surveying work.