CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approve the final design of the Naperville Jaycees Park (Item 1 of 2)
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: William J. Novack, Director of TED/City Engineer
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
The Naperville Riverwalk Commission voted 7-0 to add the Naperville Jaycees Park as an addition to the Riverwalk
BACKGROUND:
In 2017 the concept of constructing a smart park in the north lawn of the Naperville Municipal Center was created. Over the course of the last year the design has evolved and enough funds have been pledged to cover all the design and construction costs of the park. The lead donor is the Naperville Jaycees.
To insure the multi-year pledge an agreement between the Naperville Jaycees and the City was prepared and executed by all parties, including the Riverwalk Foundation, the agency the funds will flow through. The boundaries of the Naperville Riverwalk were amended last year to include the north lawn of the Municipal Center so the Naperville Jaycees Park will be located on the Riverwalk.
DISCUSSION:
Final Design of the Park
When the funding agreement came before the City Council last year many members expressed a desire to review and endorse the final design of the park since it will be located on City property. Attached is the final design of the Naperville Jaycees Park as prepared by Hitchcock Design Group.
The park includes accessible and stepped entrances from all directions. Raised planter beds provide protected places for many of the plantings while canopies and trellises provide protection from the sun for park users. Permeable pavers and rain gardens are incorporated into the design to clean the stormwater. Several different types of seating, tables and ports for power are also included. Finally, wi-fi will be provided throughout the park.
Energy for the park will come from solar panels that will be installed on the roof of the Municipal Center. The power demand of the park will be much less than the power generated by the solar panels, so funds generated from the excess energy will offset the operational and maintenance costs of the park.
Approval to add the Naperville Jaycees Park as an addition to the Naperville Riverwalk
When the maintenance agreement for the Naperville Riverwalk was first developed in 2003 it was agreed that any additions to the Riverwalk needed the approval of the Riverwalk Commission, the Naperville Park District Board and the Naperville City Council. That way the party responsible for the ongoing maintenance cost could be formally identified.
The City of Naperville, and specifically the Department of Public Works (DPW), will be responsible for the ongoing operations and maintenance of the Jaycees Park. DPW has a proven track record of taking good care of and maintaining the Municipal Center and adjacent grounds for the last twenty-six years. There will be no additional costs to the Naperville Park District as part of this project. Therefore, the reimbursement schedule for the maintenance agreement will not change due to the project.
The Naperville Riverwalk Commission voted 7-0 to formally add the Naperville Jaycees Park to the Riverwalk at their March 14th meeting. The Park District’s Parks and Rec committee approved the addition, and the Naperville Park District Board will formally vote on this at their April 12th meeting. It is anticipated that this will be supported since there will be no impact to Park District resources.
Next Steps
Please note that this is not the final action the City Council will take regarding the Naperville Jaycees Park. An agenda item will be brought back to the City Council before the commencement of construction this summer to approve the bridge loan to the Riverwalk Foundation needed to fund construction of the park. The bridge loan is necessary for two reasons: 1.) The Riverwalk Foundation wants to have receipt of full funding before they contract for construction and 2.) the Jaycees contribution will be received over multiple years. The budget for the Jaycees Park is $416,000, and includes a $30,000 contingency. Donations and pledges in excess of the budgeted amount have been secured to fully fund the design and construction. An agenda item will be brought before the City Council to fund the construction costs.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Department of Public Works estimates the Jaycees Park to add an additional $1,500 per year to their maintenance obligations at the Municipal Center.