To keep the momentum behind the revamping of Recreation Park alive, the Chehalis City Council on Monday approved a feasibility study to look into the relocation of ballfields, as well as funding opportunities for the park remodel.
Those include the possibility of placing an excess levy on the ballot in August.
Tom Skillings, project engineer with Skillings Connolly Inc., said the feasibility study would help identify potential sites and facilities the ballfields could be relocated to.
The study will answer questions about whether there is enough space to include four fields, parking and the potential to support other sports activities.
Site conditions, including soil, stormwater and drainage issues and floodplain and critical areas, would also be looked into.
The study would allow the firm to come up with a potential site plan of what facilities could look like. Stan Hedwall Park was discussed as a possible site for the fields, although other areas would also be examined.
The city approved the feasibility study, which is estimated to cost $100,000.
The total project cost for improvements to Recreation Park is estimated to be $6.21 million. Along with the feasibility study, that includes $190,000 for project management.
To pay for the project, the Recreation Park Committee recommended placing a measure on the August ballot for an excess levy.
That would bring a proposed levy rate increase of about 55 cents, to a new proposed levy rate of about $2.85 per $1,000 of assessed value. The total amount the levy would generate for the project is 92 million.
Other funding opportunities include grants from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office, and Safe Routes to School grants. In-kind donations and funding from the Chehalis Foundation would also be sought.
According to Chehalis Community Development Director Dennis Osborn, a meeting with the Chehalis Foundation was scheduled for Tuesday morning. Osborn said he planned to ask the foundation for $100,000 for the feasibility study. He also planned to discuss opportunities for the foundation to pay for the new Penny Playground project.
The playground, which is over 20 years old, has significant dry rot issues and needs to be replaced, Osborn told The Chronicle earlier.
In order for an excess levy to be passed, there has to be a 40 percent turnout of the last council election, and it would need to be passed with a supermajority of 60 percent.
To keep with the proposed timeline of the project, the council would need to approve a resolution in May to meet the deadline schedule to place the measure on the August ballot, Skillings said.
From there, grants would be applied for and the preliminary design would probably begin in April, Skillings said, with an estimated design completion time of March 2017. Construction would start shortly after.
Skillings said an excess levy would be necessary because grants would only cover a small portion of the project. He also said that since grants come with a match component, the city would have to be able to show the organizations it had money to fulfill that obligation.
Mayor Dennis Dawes said he wanted Skillings to look into what the grant funds and excess levy would be used for specifically and come up with a more concrete list before he supported the measure.
Discussion between the councilors made it unclear if money from the levy could easily be repurposed for other park needs if grant funds did come through.
So far, the recommended concept for the park includes a community building; outdoor event space; ballfield maintenance; improvements to Penny Playground including all-weather play surfacing, new play structures and new drainage; a new parking area; drop off area; RV parking; bus parking and drop off; relocation of the Rose garden; frontage improvements along SW Williams Avenue and SW 13th Street, and Green Hill parking.
