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BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDA STATEMENT
Item No. 5.
For Meeting of: September 1, 2020
ITEM TITLE: Miller Park Improvements
SUBMITTED BY: Scott Schafer, Director of Public Works
Ken Wilkinson, Parks & Recreation Manager, 509 576 6416
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
Yakima Parks & Recreation has begun to work with a group of community members interested in
raising funds for Miller Park in order to make improvements to the Park. The group has had three
meetings with Mayor Byers, Council Member Macias and City staff to discuss the planned
improvements.
ITEM BUDGETED: NA
STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Partnership Development
APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL BY THE CITY MANAGER
RECOMMENDATION:
The Parks & Recreation Commission and the Parks and Recreation staff are in support of the
fundraising efforts of the community members and look forward to working with them on this
improvement project.
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Upload Date Type
D iller Park Iwo mama-Me o 0 0 r Me
2
Memorandum
August 25, 2020
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the Yakima City Council
Robert Harrison, City Manager
From: Scott Schafer, Director of Public Works
Ken Wilkinson, Parks and Recreation Manager
Subject: Miller Park Improvements Initiative
In July, Alicia Garza spoke with Mayor Byers regarding starting a fund raising effort to make
improvements to Miller Park. Mayor Byers provided Alicia Garza with contact information for the Yakima
Parks & Recreation Division and a meeting at Miller Park was held on Tuesday, July 21, 2020. A group of
Northeast business owners, parents, coaches, community leaders and basketball players met with Ken
Wilkinson, Parks & Recreation Manager, at the park to identify their ideas for improving the park. An
initial meeting was held on July 28, 2020 with the community members, Mayor Byers, Council Member
Macias and staff. A purpose statement was created by the group. The statement is "Revitalizing Miller
Park as the Heart of the Community". A list of improvements was created by the group and ranked by
priority. The number 1 & 2 priorities are to resurface and reline the basketball courts and provide lights
for safety and to allow play to continue later in the evening. Some of the other identified improvements
are a new restroom, a second picnic shelter, a new playground, added walkways, additional picnic tables
and benches. Cost estimates were developed and shared with the group at the second meeting which
was held on August 11, 2020. Three of the community members presented their ideas to the Parks &
Recreation Commission on Wednesday, August 12, 2020. The Park & Recreation Commission was
grateful to the group and supports their efforts. Nicole Donegan from the Field Group has joined the
committe and is working on creating an information and fund raising brochure for the proposed park
improvements. Another meeting was held on Monday, August 24, 2020 to provide more input for the
information and fund raising brochure. The brochure will be completed soon. The Yakima Streets
Division is planning on removing and resurfacing one of the four courts in September if donations for the
asphalt can be acquired. The other three courts do not need to be removed. They just need to be
recoated and relined. Information is being gathered and grant applications are being prepared for
submission to various organizations for the identified improvements. The Yakima Parks & Recreation
Division is pleased to be working with another group of energetic and motivated community members
that want to make improvements to a Yakima Park.