Advisory board recommends FY27 parks and trails package; Hawthorne Park deferred

Parks staff presented a prioritized list of six parks and trails projects for fiscal year 2027 and the advisory board recommended funding those projects while deferring Hawthorne Park for further coordination with the Grand Avenue Parkway plan.

Ron Schneider of the parks department said recent outside grants and design changes reduced the net ask: a new $160,000 Abilities First grant added to previously announced TrailSpring and Hatch Foundation awards, the TrailSpring bicycle pump track is estimated at $550,000, and the Hatch Foundation contributed $1,000,000 toward restrooms and a pavilion at McDaniel Park. Schneider reported roughly $1,000,000 in savings on the Lake Springfield bridge project after design realignment and said the FY27 request totals about $9.3 million.

Board members asked about deferred maintenance and long‑term upkeep; staff said the projects would address capital replacement needs while general maintenance (mowing, trash) remains a continuing expense. The board debated whether to approve projects across FY27 and FY28; members amended a motion to focus recommendations on FY27 projects and to earmark reserves for certain FY28 items (Gerald Perry tennis courts) so planning could proceed without prematurely obligating funds.

A motion to recommend the FY27 parks-and-trails projects as presented, with Hawthorne Park deferred for better connectivity to Grand Avenue Parkway, was moved, seconded and passed on a roll‑call vote.

Next steps: staff will carry the board’s recommendation to city council during budget deliberations and refine scheduling, funding partners and maintenance plans.