Parks and Recreation staff reported on multiple maintenance items and community planting events, including a community planting at the median “sandbox” project on March 25 and an Arbor Day planting event at Turtle Park on April 25.

The committee heard that Public Works will maintain the median planting once installed and that City Council member Lisa Graves has taken an interest in the sandbox/median project. Parks staff invited residents to participate in the March 25 planting and said they intend to expand beds at Turtle Park for the Arbor Day event.

Why it matters: The updates describe near-term community volunteer opportunities, routine maintenance work that affects park users and a lighting project that aims to extend usable hours at a neighborhood park.

Key updates

- Community planting: The Parks and Recreation Manager said the planting event is scheduled for March 25 at the median (referred to as the sandbox project), beginning at 10 a.m.; plants and supplies will be provided and the public is invited to help.

- Maintenance and graffiti: Staff reported routine weeding, fence painting and graffiti removal at multiple parks, including Water Tower Park and the pickleball courts. Staff said Public Works makes police reports and historically has been able to respond quickly to remove graffiti; continuous camera monitoring was deemed not cost-effective at this time.

- Lighting at John L. Tompkins Park: Staff said the city has hired an electrician and will bore under concrete to run conduit and install lighting at the basketball court to improve evening use. The work is expected to begin shortly and a purchase order has been issued.

- Arbor Day: The committee discussed expanding planting beds at Turtle Park and scheduling a planting event on April 25 to highlight island-appropriate, pollinator-friendly species and encourage community participation.

Ending

Staff asked committee members to promote the March 25 sandbox planting and the April 25 Arbor Day event and said they will return with updates as projects proceed.