04/27/95 Agenda & Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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411 At the Parks and Recreation Commission's request, staff is preparing an Outdoor Recreation Grant for improvements to Woodcrest Park. Although we know that Woodcrest is a difficult park to deal with because of the high water table, we are attempting to provide improvements to this park. As you recall, this was a suggestion of residents in the south western section of the City. They suggested that we develop Woodcrest Park rather than seek out a new park location. GEOTECHNICAL TESTING Geotechnical testing has been completed at Woodcrest Park. The report is enclosed. Woodcrest Park has about a 1-1/2 foot water table in areas. It has peat soils at least 22 ' deep. It has characteristics of a wetland, and sits on the perimeter of the wetland boundary. In addition, Woodcrest Park is in the middle of a storm water system having open storm water ditches on two sides. Options for park development must take into consideration the restrictions that Rice Creek Watershed may have in addition to the challenges of a high water table and poor subsoils. Any kind of soil corrections would be astronomically costly and may not even take care of the problems. GRANT PROPOSAL The grant application is for the improvement to the park building, the paving of the parking lot for parking as well as hard court play ie. basketball, rollerblade activities, 4-square, hopscotch, shuffleboard. Parking lot paving is an item listed on the 5-Year Park Improvement Plan for 1995 implementation. The grant proposal will also include a youth ballfield (understanding that the field will never be perfect, but will offer a place for neighborhood play) . Youth ballfields continue to be in high demand and it is hoped that the addition of this field would offer another field for practices and perhaps games, depending upon the quality of the field. In addition, the grant would include culverting the storm water ditch along Woodcrest Drive, while diverting the storm water to a ponding area that forms an "L" along the east side and corner of the park property. This is an project which enhances the overall Storm Water Management system in this area. Diverting and culverting the ditch would remove an eyesore and safety concern from the neighborhood, would improve the storm water management system, would coordinate with the trailway project along Silver Lake Road and would assist in diverting water runoff from the ballfield to the ponding area. FUNDING: Park Improvement Funds could provide the match for the parking lot, park building and ballfield. Storm Water Management funds could be used for the match for culverting the open storm water ditch along Woodcrest Drive. If these funds were used, it • is probable that general fund monies would not be necessary. BENEFIT: The benefit of the improvements suggested in this grant