BACKGROUND:
Earnest discussions regarding dog parks during the Parks and Community Events (PACE) Commission meetings, PACE’s Priority Requests process, the City Council’s annual goal setting and the City Council’s Fiscal Years 2021/22 and 2022/23 Budget process, provided clear direction for the focus to be on two (2) dog parks for the City.
One dog park to be in the northern part of the City within the existing Panorama Park land space and the other located in the location of the former Second Street Park. In the spring of 2022, the Panorama Dog Park was completed and is in daily operation.
Constructing a dog park at the former Second Street Park property is a logical choice which may reduce overall construction costs by using existing infrastructure at the location that may reduce full ground up construction costs. At this location, frontage improvements were improved with the reconstruction of Buddy Rodgers Avenue in conjunction with the construction of the Agua Caliente Casino Project. Even though a portion of the Second Street Park property was utilized for the City’s new Fire Station 411, there is sufficient land to repurpose.
Currently, the funding for the construction of The Second Street Dog Park (Project) is limited to $250,000 as approved in the City’s Fiscal Years 2021/22 and 2022/23 Parks Improvement and Maintenance Plan under Park Upgrade Projects. Rough estimates indicate that at least $1.0 million will be needed to complete a good dog park project at this location.
City Staff determined if there was a conceptual plan developed for constructing the Dog Park, Staff would be able to determine a more accurate construction estimate. This conceptual plan and estimate will in turn serve as the basis for discussions with potential funding partners, e.g. the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians (ACBCI) and/or other organizations that may want to provide participatory monetary support for the Project. This plan and estimate will also provide a basis for seeking grant funding to support the Project as well.
DISCUSSION:
City Staff needs a good conceptual plan of the Project to be able to a construction cost estimate. To complete this task, Staff solicited Chris Giannini of Verde Design, Inc. (Verde) to provide the plan and estimate. Mr. Giannini was the designer of our award- winning Ocotillo Park, the Panorama Dog Park, and is currently designing the Dream Homes Park. Mr. Giannini also completed the initial concept designs for the Cathedral City Community Amphitheater Park prior to joining Verde.
Mr. Giannini was asked for the cost of a conceptual design and drawings with the understanding the scope of the work will include a park for small dogs, a park for large dogs and site furnishings, parking lot and, if space allows, pickleball court(s) within the Project site limits. Additional trees, shade structures and new walkways connecting the path of travel to the dog park will be included. Relocation, removal and/or protection of existing structures, fencing, lighting will be reviewed for options to maintain in place, reuse, relocate and/or remove.
Staff requested conceptual plans to include only general layouts of softscape areas, hardscape areas, and location of proposed furnishings and trees. Staff also requested a list of materials and furnishings with manufacturer and model suggestions. Verde Design understands the City will be handling future construction and no construction documents or construction support will be necessary.
Verde provided a proposal in the amount of $13,340, which will include a site visit, to accomplish the above cited tasks and the specific Scope of Services. These are included in the attached proposal.
Staff is requesting City Council authorize the Director of Engineering/Public Works execute the proposal to initiate this conceptual design work.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Second Street Dog Park was included in the FY 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 biennial budget as one of the Park Upgrade Projects. The conceptual design work task in the amount of $13,340 will be funded from available Engineering Department FY 2022/2023 Professional and Technical Services 100-100-150-156-8600-8601 funds.