PARK BOARD ITEM- Shari Kunza, Recreation Manager
Title
AQUATORE PARK UPDATE
Background
Aquatore Park is one of the most highly used parks in the City. Aquatore Park hosts the Blaine Festival, Family Fun Night, Parks and Recreation special events, company picnics, graduation parties, family reunions, and more. Aquatore Park has recently received a new playground and is now home to Blaine’s first dog park. In addition, Fogerty Arena is a close neighbor and its camps and events are frequent users of the park.
Staff has identified several areas of improvement for Aquatore, including upgrading the restrooms and picnic shelters. Our maintenance department has begun a facelift in the restroom building with painting the walls, coating the floor, and replacing the stall doors.
The Blaine Festival has indicated a desire to contribute funds to build a new performance shelter located where the current East Shelter sits. The Blaine Festival Committee would like to see a large 100 foot by 50 foot picnic shelter with a separate stage area with restrooms and storage. While not officially committing, the Festival has indicated they would be interested in a financial arrangement where they could repay approximately 50% of the cost over a 5 to 10 year period. The Blaine Festival Committee is also interested in building a storage facility large enough to hold a float and two large trailers on the southwest end of the parking lot at Aquatore.
Staff is informing the Park Board that there is interest from the community and park users to improve Aquatore Park and would like the Park Board to begin discussion on possibilities and options for funding. Funding sources would include the CIF fund and the City’s Capital Improvement Fund.
Recommendation
Discussion Item