Council
Communication

Office of the City Manager
 
 

Date

September 25, 2006

 

Agenda Item No.       59

Roll Call No.              06-

Communication No.  06-623

Submitted by: Donald M. Tripp, Park and Recreation Director and William McCarthy, Chief of Police

 

 

AGENDA HEADING:

 

Approving items related to improvements at Evelyn K. Davis Park: (1) Authorization to apply for a Community Attraction and Tourism (CAT) grant and to reappropriate $50,000 of FY 2006-07 Park Improvements CIP budget for a local contribution, and (2) Approving acceptance of private donations and a Polk County grant to help fund the improvements.

 

 

SYNOPSIS:

 

Recommend approval to accept private donations and grants for Evelyn K. Davis Park totaling $625,000 that have been committed toward new park improvements/infrastructure and program costs totaling $875,000. This action also authorizes the City Manager to submit a Vison Iowa Community Attraction and Tourism (CAT) grant application to provide additional funding for park improvements. Staff recommends reallocating $50,000 from the FY 2006-07 amended CIP budget to supplement the park improvement/infrastructure funding. These dollars will serve as a matching local grant to be used in conjunction with the CAT grant application.

 

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

 

Amount: $875,000 total estimated project and program costs

 

Funding Source:  With regard to the $450,000 park improvements/infrastructure portion of the project:

 

Pledge letters have been received for the following donations to fund the $425,000 program and operations portion of the project:

 

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: 

 

The project involves capital improvements and program development in the City of Des Moines’ Evelyn K. Davis Park, located at 16th and Forest, in the King Irving Neighborhood.  The park was formerly known as Washington Irving Park and was formally rededicated as Evelyn K. Davis Park on July 5, 1993, following a neighborhood-based design process and complete renovation, to become one of Des Moines’ finest parks.  This renovation was supported and financed, in part, by William Knapp (through Mid City Investors) who had lent support and funding to the community activism efforts of Ms. Davis.

 

Mr. Knapp recently spoke to Police Chief William McCarthy about his desire to ensure the park’s status as a family-friendly neighborhood park and to consider additional development of the amenities and security it offers to area residents. To that end, Mr. Knapp gathered the financial support of several Des Moines-area individuals and agencies, as previously outlined, to finance infrastructure and programming enhancements. 

 

The 1993 park redesign has worked very well, but some components of it are underutilized, while demands for some amenities and programming have grown.  Redevelopment of portions of the park may include the following: additional landscaping, with flowers and trees; elimination of some and addition of other athletic facilities; and additional community and family event space and facilities, possibly including additional restroom, grill and picnic shelter accommodations.  Funding for this portion of the project is planned to be accomplished through grants from Prairie Meadows, United Way, Polk County, Vision Iowa and the City’s Park and Recreation CIP budget.  Staff recommends reappropriating $50,000 of the FY06-07 amended budget for this purpose.

 

The project includes a second component that is critical for the desired outcomes of the project. This involves additional park management and operations funding to increase programming and park family-oriented activity as well as a police presence at the park, over the course of the next three park seasons.  Funding needs for this portion of the project will be met through the donations of the five donors cited above.

 

The City considers it to be critically important for the neighborhood to be intimately involved in the planning of any modification or change to its parks. Therefore details and specific improvements to the park are to be determined through the normal process in which park layout, use, amenities and services are evaluated via meetings with the neighborhood association, public and staff who will assess needs, problems, solutions and a work plan from which construction, repairs and improvements will be made.

 

It is anticipated that most park capital improvements will be completed in the 2007 calendar year and that increased staff, programming and security will be sustained through fall 2010.  At that time, additional fundraising will be undertaken from the public sector to underwrite operational costs.

 

 

PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION(S): 

 

Date:  June 28, 1993

 

Roll Call Number:  93-2535

 

Action:  Motion to dedicate the park at 16th and Forest Avenue as Evelyn K. Davis Park on July 5, 1993.  (Council Communication No. 93-271)  Moved by Vlassis to adopt.  Motion carried 6-0, one absent.

 

 

BOARD/COMMISSION ACTION(S):  NONE

 

 

ANTICIPATED ACTIONS AND FUTURE COMMITMENTS: 

 

Review and approval of proposed park improvements and capital construction upon secured public input and secured funding. Approval of $50,000 reallocation in the Park Improvements CIP as part of the FY2006-07 amended budget process.