Subject: STATE GRANT FOR EDENVALE GARDEN PARK
COUNCIL DISTRICT: 2
SNI AREA: N/A
Staff is concerned with the current action by the Governor to reduce the expenditures of the State. It would be in the City’s interest to have this agreement confirmed by a contract with the State Department of Parks and Recreation as soon as possible, thus reducing the Governor’s ability to use these funds to balance the State budget.
· Adopt a resolution to approve the submission of a grant application for $147,750 from the State Department of Parks and Recreation for the Edenvale Garden Park.
· Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute all documents relating to the grant funding agreement.
BACKGROUND
Phase 3 expansion of the Hayes Renaissance Conference Center will be dedicated to implementing a significant portion of the Master Plan for Edenvale Garden Park. Cottong and Tanaguchi have been retained by the Department of Public Works to begin the design phase of the project, which will start within the next three months. The project will not completely build-out the Master Plan, however, the following elements are included in the $1.3 million project: restrooms, a small amphitheatre, a picnic area, a youth/tot playground, park pathways, a small maintenance facility, landscaping, and site work such as grading, drainage and utilities.
Prior to her departure from office, Councilmember Charlotte Powers’ secured the earmarking of $147,750 in State grant funds to be applied towards the construction of the children’s playground. In order to receive these funds, staff is required to apply for the funds from the State Department of Parks and Recreation.
This grant for $147,750 will augment the $1.3 million project for the park to enhance the children’s playground. This area will provide features suitable for tots and an adjacent apparatus area within the same playground for kids ages 5 to 12. The tot area will include age appropriate swings, spring mounted animals and some type of low level climbing structure with interactive panels. The play area for primary school aged children will include a climbing structure that is also usable by children in wheelchairs and other popular and age-appropriate features. Staff has also asked the consultants to incorporate the theme of the former Frontier Village into the design, so some custom features may result from that as well. The playground will be ADA accessible.
There is a possibility that the Governor could immobilize these funds to help balance the State Budget. It would be in the City’s interest to have this agreement confirmed by a contract with the State Department of Parks and Recreation as soon as possible, thus reducing the Governor’s ability to use these funds to balance the State budget.
If the Governor immobilizes these funds, then the City would have to adjust the project to not include funding source to enhance the children’s playground. These funds would marginally increase the operation and maintenance costs associated with the children’s playground by providing additional play features.
PUBLIC OUTREACH
No public outreach has occurred regarding the proposed action. However, the Master Plan for the Edenvale Garden Park will be done in a public forum, including a Parks and Recreation Commission meeting and a City Council meeting.
This memorandum has been coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office.
Mark Linder
Director of Parks, Recreation
and Neighborhood Services