CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
Memo Date: September 6, 2023
Agenda Date: September 12, 2023
Prepared By: Charlene Neuterman, Community Services Director
Through: Stockton Whitten, City Manager
Requested Action:
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Council authorization to hold a community meeting to discuss the ongoing challenges at Gilmore Family Park on Prospect Avenue and potential opportunities for the parcel.
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BACKGROUND:
The Gilmore Family Park on Prospect Avenue has been a neighborhood park for almost 20 years. The park was recently named after Mr. Gilmore who lives directly across the street.
Gilmore Family Park is approximately 1.12 acres of land on Prospect Avenue with a pavilion, basketball court and playground.
Numerous residents have expressed specific concerns about the loitering of individuals at the park and potential drug activity and the safety of children wishing to play at the park. Staff met to discuss the safety concerns and potential for options/opportunities at that location.
The plan is to have a community meeting scheduled at the direction of Council to meet with the residents living in the area and hear any concerns/challenges they may have. The following options were discussed with Staff as possible outcomes as a result of the community meeting. Those options include:
1. Close the park due to public safety concerns for an undetermined period of time;
2. Close off the parking lot to the park and make the park strictly a walk-in park for residents and install cameras at a cost of approximately $50,000;
3. Permanently close the park and surplus the land for the construction of much-needed affordable housing;
4. Other options possible as suggested by the community
We will present these options for the community to consider. Staff is requesting guidance and authorization to hold a community meeting, possibly at the National Guard Armory, to hear the concerns, challenges and opportunities by residents.
STRATEGIC PLAN CONNECTION:
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