Title
Review and Recommend Chochenyo Park Play Area Final Design
Body
To: Honorable Chair and Members of the Recreation and Park Commission
From: Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Re: Review and Recommend Chochenyo Park Play Area Final Design
BACKGROUND
During the City’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2019/21 Budget process, a group of Jackson Park neighbors spoke at the Recreation and Parks Commission (Commission) meeting to advocate for a small play area to be installed at Jackson Park. After hearing the comments, the Commission included project in its recommendation to City Council for the FY 2019/21 budget. The City Council allocated $75,000 toward a play area at Jackson Park during its FY 2019/21 budget discussions and approval.
On July 23, 2019, staff held a neighborhood meeting and approximately 75 people attended. Overall, the comments were equally for and against a play area at the park with some people expressing interest but with reservations.
In September 2019, the Commission provided direction for a landscape play area design and in June 2020, the Commission provided direction to focus on the design created by Tyler Velten with a train log focus. Tyler Velten has provided his services at no cost. An update to the design was required to stay within the construction budget and due to the pandemic that design update was significantly delayed.
In April 2021, the Commission reviewed the updated design along with an ideas for a medicine wheel either in conjunction with the play area or as a separate “landing area” for the new park educational signage. The Commission provided direction for staff to examine the medicine wheel concept in tandem with a landscaped play space.
DISCUSSION
The location of the landscape play area is proposed to be closer to the center of the north end of the park for safety reasons to avoid the higher traffic Encinal Avenue (Exhibit 1). Based on input from the Commission, the design is nature based, within an approximately 50 foot diameter circle, and designed in a circular layout to create a community gathering space. This play area is designed to be a calm space and attract children and families from the local neighborhood who will bike or walk to the park.
The design by Tyler Velten (Exhibit 1) has been revised so that it is within the construction budget of $75,000 and a contractor has been identified through the City’s adopted California Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting (CUPCCAA) process. The design includes:
• Concrete ramp to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements
• Concrete curb around the perimeter to keep wood chips within the play area
• Asphalt pathway around the entire perimeter with seating.
• Logs and stumps from trees that lived in Alameda parks. The placement and design of the logs are in two curves and the logs could be carved by volunteer after completion to look like train cars. The in-ground train track rails were eliminated.
• This design no longer has mounds and is level
• The design no longer includes carved wooden animals. If there is a volunteer artist willing to create these carved animals, the City could provide the wood, however an artist has not yet been identified. These could be easily added in the future.
The educational signage for Chochenyo Park is anticipated to come for review by the Recreation and Parks Commission on November 11, 2021. There is currently no available funding for a medicine wheel landing area.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Funding for construction of the play area is available in the amount of $75,000.
RECOMMENDATION
To approve the Chochenyo Park play area final design.
Respectfully submitted,
Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Exhibits:
1. Chochenyo Park Play Area Design