Adaptive Solutions for Resilient Designs
121 Park Place
Richmond, CA
94947
415.883.9850
Berkeley | Novato | Petaluma | Pleasanton | Redwood City | Richmond
MEMORANDUM
TO: Daniel Chavarria, Lashonda White, Robert Armijo, and Josef Munoz FROM: Marcia Vallier, Jessie Maran, and Robert Stevens CC: Shasa Curl, Avinesh Nadan, and Mubeen Qader,
DATE: April 1, 2024
SUBJECT: Richmond Parks Improvement Budget
The City of Richmond has 50 City owned parks. Of those parks, sixteen are suitable locations for soccer fields .
According to the City of Richmond 2010 Parks Master Plan, which sets level or service standards for parks and fields there is to be one soccer field per 5,000 residents. Thus, the City should have 23 fields based upon the City’s current population. To help alleviate the established level of service field deficit, City Council has allocated American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds from Fiscal Year (FY) 23/24 to the improvement of soccer fields, courts, lighting, and restrooms to improve or expand the usability of existing fields. Restrooms, courts, lighting, play areas, and other improvements adjacent to fields are key to accessibility for residents from across the city and usa bility during the winter and evening hours. The City’s ARPA funds must be obligated by signed construction contract before December 31, 2024.
At the April 16, 2024, City Council meeting, staff will present a plan to use the initial $4.2 million ARPA funds budget.
If authorized by Council, there is another $3.54 million available provide a total of about $7.7 million for Park improvements. The following provides recommendations as to how these funds should be expended.
Initial $4.2 million Investment
An initial $4.2 million in FY 23/24 ARPA funding will be applied to improvements at two community parks, Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, and Shields-Reid Park, and one neighborhood park, Wendell Park. The planned improvements will build on existing work in progress to improve the usability of three U13 fields. At Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, proposed work will renovate the existing restroom to return it to service.
At Shields-Reid Park, construction documents are complete for an amphitheater and pump track with bids due April 3, 2024. If the bid value exceeds the budget, some of the ARPA funds could be used to fund the nature play area, capture the perimeter Fence, and upgrades to the b asketball courts. Please note that the soccer community has stated to CSW that they were not consulted about the selection of park grant elements at Sheilds-Reid Park and are unhappy that field renovation was not included in the grant . The $1.5M estimate presented to City Council in the Richmond Parks Assessment Report on March 19
th included funding renovation of the existing natural grass multi-purpose field, irrigation system, softball infield; basketball court lighting and resurfacing, as well as installation of new perimeter fencing, back stop, seating, and conduits for future field lighting. If these funds are redirected to grant bid overruns it may impact on the proposed ARPA funded park upgrades.
Proposed improvements at Wendell Park include renovation of the natural grass multi- purpose field, irrigation system, softball infield; installation of new fencing, back stop, seating, conduit for future lighting if desired; and installation of a new single stall Exeloo restroom.
Additional $3.54 million Investment
If an additional $3.54 million of ARPA or other funding was allocated to the Parks budget, we would recommend modifying the scope of improvements for Martin Luther King, Jr., Shields-Reid, and Wendell Parks. At Martin Luther King, Jr. and/or Shields-Reid Parks, improvements would focus on replacement of existing natural grass with artificial turf and the addition of field lighting. In response to the City Council’s concerns, the design team will conduct a study session with the Council to discuss concerns and potential responses to the potential health and climate impacts of artificial turf. Additionally, we would recommend that all park lights automatically turn off in accordance with the Recreation Department’s operations and no later than 10:00 PM.
Wendell Park’s designation as a neighborhood park with close residences on all sides and its location within a close- knit residential neighborhood may make it unsuitable for the increased levels of use and night-time use associated with an artificial turf field and lighting. Improvements at Wendell Park may include a solar lighting pilot project that would extend use into the early evening hours, with a cut -off at 8:00 pm to honor the neighborhood classification.
We would add renovation or replacement of the existing play stru cture to the scope and renovation of the community garden in concert with the new restroom structure.
Outreach and Engagement, April – May 2024. With direction from the City Council on April 16, 2024, staff will introduce the projects at the Recreation and Parks Commission on April 3, 2024. In addition, we will prepare presentations to the appropriate Neighborhood Councils (NCs) for each park during regularly scheduled meetings in April. The Shields-Reid Park project will be introduced to the Iron Triangle Neighborhood Council on April 18, 2024. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Park project will be introduced to the Coronado Neighborhood Council and shared with the Santa Fe Neighborhood Council on April 23
rd and 25th respectively. Wendell Park improvements will be introduced to the North and East Neighborhood Council on April 24th. The new improvements planned for Sheilds- Reid and Wendell Parks will be presented to the Design Review Board during its May 8 th meeting since we classify the renovation of the existing restroom at MLK as maintenance with no design review requirement.
Community meetings will be held in May for e ach park project to introduce and gain feedback on the proposed scope of improvements to their larger communities. The design team will engage with the NCs to host these community meetings, to be held on-site in the parks if the weather allows. The design team will engage local soccer clubs to request their support in using their existing social media and communication methods to get the word out about the community meeting in addition to canvasing the neighborhoo d with flyers to invite area residents and extend word -of-mouth invitations to the broader soccer community. The design team will facilitate the public meeting(s), prepare illustrative graphics, and prepare plans and details to fix and describe the size an d character of site work for the project. The feedback received during the meetings will be incorporated into the construction drawings for each site. Community feedback may modify a park’s scope of work. However, each project will fit within the allocated budget and will be approved by the City prior to proceeding with the construction documentation phase of the project. We will return to the Recreation and Parks Commission and City Council to report back on the
community feedback, selected design and will invite the community to attend those meetings as the final outreach step.
Design, Bidding, and Construction Schedule. The design team will complete the design work by late August 2024 allowing for bidding in September . Staff will seek approval to award a contract by October 2024 allowing for execution of a contract by the end of December 2024.
Construction will take place from March to November 2025. The Recreation Department will work with the design team, neighbors, soccer, and softball groups to relocate gathering, practice and play to other parks during construction.