Title
Approval of a Resolution Authorizing an Amendment to an Agreement with Berger Partnership to Complete Phase 1 Design Services at Yelm Highway Community Park
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve a Resolution authorizing an amendment to the contract to Complete Phase 1 Design Services for Yelm Highway Community Park.
Report
Issue:
Whether to approve a Resolution authorizing an amendment to the contract to Complete Phase 1 Design Services for Yelm Highway Community Park.
Staff Contact:
Laura Keehan, Director of Parks Planning & Maintenance, Parks, Arts and Recreation, 360.570.5855
Presenter(s):
None - Consent Calendar Item.
Background and Analysis:
The Yelm Highway Community Park (recently officially named Jolene Unsoeld Community Park) project is completing its final steps prior to construction. The amendment to this contract is to complete final work associated with final design documents, permitting requirements and bid documents preparation. Phase 1 park improvements include:
• Park maintenance office and shop buildings, and supporting elements such as parking, fencing, materials storage, and covered storage.
• One full-size lighted synthetic turf soccer field with all necessary associated items such as netting and goals.
• Thirteen pickleball courts and associated items such as seating, site furnishings, fencing, and gates.
• Two full-size basketball courts.
• One mini-pitch soccer field (Sounders RAVE Foundation funded) and associated interactive play equipment.
• One restroom building that also accommodates storage and food truck support.
• One picnic shelter.
• One approximately 9,000 SF Playground.
• Paved loop pathways.
• All associated furnishings (bike racks, seating, picnic tables).
• One dog park with fencing, gates, and other required amenities.
• One asphalt paved parking lot and one gravel parking lot to support activities at the north end of the park as well as the dog park.
• Art incorporated into the landscape (1% from the Arts Program).
Final completion of these design documents, permits and bid documents in this amended contract will allow the project to advertise for construction bids in the Spring.
Climate Analysis:
The park maintenance buildings will utilize electric heat pumps and be built solar ready. Electric vehicle parking stalls will be provided in both the park maintenance facility parking area, as well as the main parking lot for park users. Additionally, the park site hosts by a bus stop on Yelm Highway. Locating community parks in urban areas close to residences reduces the distance of vehicle trips and protects forest and agriculture resource lands in the County from urban development.
Landscaping at the site will be drought-tolerant and the soccer field will utilize synthetic turf which does not require fertilizer or watering. The existing forest area and wetland located at the southern end of the park site will be preserved thus providing climate and habitat benefits.
Equity Analysis:
Parks play an important role in the community as places that are free and open to the public for social connection and gathering, physical and mental health, and preservation and connection with nature. Team sports for both youth and adults support community building. This park has been chosen as a location for a Sounders RAVE Foundation soccer mini-pitch. A mini-pitch allows for small groups of informal pick-up play and the Foundation commits to free ongoing youth programming at the mini-pitch. Thurston County Pickleball Association also offers free weekly pickleball lessons for community members.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
The community identified acquisition and development of a large community park site for soccer fields as a high priority in the 2002, 2010, 2016 and 2022 Parks, Arts and Recreation Plans. In the City’s 2014 Community Park Site Suitability Assessment, the Yelm Highway parcel ranked as the preferred site for a new community park.
Over a thousand community members participated in the Yelm Highway Community Park Master Plan process that occurred from 2019-2022. Soccer players, pickleball players and neighbors from The Hamptons and Indian Summer neighborhoods have also shown particular interest in the site.
Financial Impact:
This amended contract will finalize the construction documents, permits and bid package for the project. The amended contract will utilize $204,216.06 of parks capital funding.
The project has received $2,850,000 in grant funds for construction and $87,000 in community and foundation donations for future construction of the park.
Options:
1. Move to approve a Resolution authorizing an amendment to the contract to Complete Phase 1 Design Services for Yelm Highway Community Park.
2. Modify the amendment to the contract with Berger Partnership to complete the design documents for Phase 1 of Yelm Highway Community Park. This would delay putting the project out to bid and the park construction.
3. Do not approve the amendment to the contract with Berger Partnership to complete the design documents for Phase 1 of Yelm Highway Community Park. This would prevent the project from proceeding to construction and the City would default on all grants and donations received for the park project.
Attachments:
Resolution
Amendment