Council backs limited redesign for Gammon Park extension, directs construction documents for multipurpose fields

Mayor Zach Stratton invited Brian Badri, Vineyard's parks and recreation director, to review the Central Corridor master plan and the Gammon Park extension and ask for council direction. Badri said the city contracted Consor in 2021 and that $50,000 is budgeted this fiscal year to complete construction documents for future build-out; he described several staff-recommended edits to the Gammon plan.

"One is to remove the all abilities playground," Badri said, noting a nearby all-abilities playground in Utah City and raising redundancy concerns. Staff also proposed replacing on-street parking with a larger lot, removing a backstop on the multipurpose field, eliminating proposed dog parks near natural areas, reducing trails that cut through playable space, and reducing the number of pickleball courts near City Hall. Badri presented four options: a full plan redo (up to $40,000 and ~12 months), a phased approach focusing on two multipurpose fields and parking, a budget-amendment variant to pay for accelerated redesign this fiscal year, or moving ahead with construction documents for the entire 11-acre park.

Several council members signaled support for the phased approach. "I think moving forward with the construction documents for the multipurpose fields and parking makes sense," the mayor said, and committee members emphasized the need for playable, programmable green space. Staff said Gammon currently has about 64 parking stalls and that Grove Park has roughly 290, which shaped discussion about parking strategy and temporary loading zones. The council asked staff to treat the recommended edits as a minor amendment where feasible, hold a public hearing on substantive parking changes, and return with construction documents for the multipurpose fields.