The City of Oakley will host a work session on Tuesday night to discuss where to spend $405k in funds from East Bay Regional Park District where the city received $1.5 million for acquisition and development of parks and recreation and facilities.
The City has identified multiple options for the City Council discuss as the deadline for project applications will only be accepted until March 2016 and must be fully completed by December 2018 or funds will revert to the discretion of East Bay Regional Park District.
Here is a list of potential projects identified by City Staff.
CIVIC CENTER PARK (New Park Improvements)
Project: Performance Stage/Amphitheater and amenities. Cost Estimate: $410,000 Construct a small facility: Permanent stage with amphitheater seating and limited amenities for programming and use of music concerts, performing arts events, speakers/rallies, movies, ceremonies, and other special uses.
Issues: Minimal. Site work is minimized due to existing grass slope, paths and lighting, existing utilities – electrical and irrigation infrastructure. Design and construction plans could be prepared in a short time. Any additional annual maintenance costs should be offset by user fee charges. It is possible that positive revenue generation would be an outcome from adding the facility. The added probable economic impact for Oakley Downtown businesses would also be a plus.
MOURA PROPERTY (New Development)
Project: Lighted Multi-purpose field with artificial turf and other amenities. Cost Estimate: $1.4+ million. (Lighting approx. $400,000; Synthetic Turf approx. $800,000; Parking lot approx. $200,000) The City has no lighted sports facilities. Lights and artificial turf extends available programming play time and allows year-round play. It also allows for broader programming of special events/uses.
Major issue: Funds to construct, operate, and maintain the project. The City would need to provide significant additional funds for construction from the General Fund, LLD Zone 1, or other sources.
Anticipating high use, on-going annual maintenance costs would be approximately $35-40,000/year, without a capital replacement fund included. It is possible that about 50% of the maintenance and utility costs would be offset from anticipated use fee/revenue generation.
HOLLY CREEK PARK (New Park Improvements)
Project: Acquire property and install parking lot; and drinking fountain. The addition of a parking lot would provide opportunities for programming use of the park. No drinking fountain exists and would be a valuable amenity to the park. Cost Estimate: $500,000 +/(Property cost is unknown; Parking lot cost would range from $150,000-250,000; Drinking Fountain -$15,000). Use fees should offset any additional maintenance costs.
NUNN-WILSON FAMILY PARK (Enhancement and Improvement)
Project: Renovation of portions of irrigation system, landscape, spray feature river, and pathways. Enhancements/Additions could include parking and turf area. Cost Estimate: $ Unknown and depending on what is included. Improvements to existing areas could be done with the $405,000, but larger enhancements/additions would likely be over $1 million.
Issues: A full cost assessment of the renovation will need to be completed, priorities established, and plans and documents prepared for construction. There are funds to operate and maintain the project provided by LLD Zone 3-19. Staff feels an assessment of the needed repairs and renovations and their associated costs should be completed and discussed before making any commitment toward considering enhancements/additions to what is already there.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff believes the addition of a covered stage with amphitheater style and informal festival (lawn) seating would be a wonderful venue, with functionality, to add more diversity to the City’s park and recreation amenities. Civic Center Park in the revitalizing Downtown, in our opinion, the best location/site for this venue.
An alternative location for a covered stage would be the Moura Property, if a multi-use outdoor sports facility (including potentially a Community Center) is constructed
7 comments
Of course pending money at the Civic Center would be the project recommended. Remember, the Civic Center/Downtown area is the “Jewel of Oakley”. Can we stop throwing money at this area and start spreading it around? I mean there are lots of parks that could use some help. Here is a good question–how many people in Oakley know that there is a park in Summer Lake and has used it???????
Any park that does not have a water fountain should be fixed. Oakley needs a dedicated dog park along with a dedicated toddler park similar to what Antioch and Pittsburg have. Why not build a toddler park near the civic center? Finally, my other complaint is why hasn’t the city upgraded the laurel ball fields or fix the area in front of the fields instead of leaving it as dirt?
I would love to see a sports complex like Brentwood has (sunset) the Little League has out grown using Oakley elementary for years now and it would benefit the city. Parking in that area on opening and closing ceremonies is horrific and I am sure a pain in the butt for the people who live in the neighborhood. I wouldn’t buy a house in that neighborhood just for that reason. Baseball tournaments and facility rentals for soccer teams baseball teams even flag football. Sunset sports complex gets used every weekend all year round.
We are missing sports parks in Oakley!! Thousands of dollars go to surrounding cities for our kids as well as adults because we don’t have the facilities. We need a complex like Sunset. Look at Elk Grove, a facility that has fields for soccer, softball, baseball, football. All lighted in one beautiful park. Something like this would truly benefit our comunity on many levels. Leagues, tournaments you name it. People would pay to play here! Eat here, shop here! Invest in a sports complex!
Not to mention the beautiful bike jump park in Elk Grove compared to our junk bike and skate park
If you are talking about Creekside Park I would like to say that the kids seem to like it. It is very popular with the kids.
I do not feel a Performance Stage/Amphitheate in the “down town” is a good idea. The new street construction with a single lane with parking on the side makes any kind of significant traffic flow difficult. Let a lone an emergency response. Put the money where it will do the most for the majority of people. Parks!!! Fix the ones that need improvements.
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