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Council gives direction to refine Hatch Park outdoor living room design, including a conceptual fire feature
Summary
Staff and consultants presented an outdoor living room concept and councilors discussed cushions, built-in seating alternatives, theft/maintenance risks, and safety controls and timers for a proposed gas fire hearth; council signaled consensus to continue refining the design and safety measures.
Designers showed the outdoor living room concept, including seating clusters, sculptural elements, water features and a proposed gas hearth. Mike Wannenberg summarized safety mitigations under consideration: a recessed or raised hearth depth, protective screening and an automatic emergency shutoff valve for the gas line, and a timed burner cycle so the feature does not remain on indefinitely. "There's a certain depth to it... and then there'd be an automatic emergency shutoff valve for the gas," Wannenberg said while explaining safety features used in other public projects.
Council members expressed concerns about loose cushions and maintenance costs; one councilor recommended replacing removable upholstery with built-in concrete or composite seating to avoid theft and frequent replacement. The group discussed fountain alternatives and the impact of additional water features on maintenance workloads. Staff said they will test product options, pursue camera placement and continue to refine the hearth design. On a consensus check, council members nodded and verbally affirmed moving forward with additional design work, with staff to return with refined plans ahead of the bidding phase.
