4J Stadium. June - September 1999

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IV. SUGGESTED MOTION Move to approve joint development of youth- oriented recreation facilities at five 4J schools and instruct the City Manager to execute the intergovernmental agreement with 4J. V. DISCUSSION A. Policy Issue Should the City of Eugene enter into a joint use and funding agreement for youth related recreation facilities at 4J school sites. B. Background and Analysis The $4 million proposal to develop Youth Sports Parks is included under the $11,750,000 for community -wide recreation services within the $25.3 million POS measure. The impetus behind the Youth Sports Park concept evolved through a larger community effort to provide high - quality, diverse recreation opportunities for Eugene area youth. The projects were a high priority element of the Mayor's Parks & Open Space Committee recommendations. Also in 1998, voters passed a School District 4J bond measure for $3.5 million to construct athletic facilities. The School District then approached the City to discuss the benefits of combining resources to develop integrated youth- oriented recreation facilities. The joint development of youth- oriented recreation facilities include projects at the following 4J school sites: • Churchill High School/Kennedy Middle School: Youth Sports Park with Multi -Use Synthetic Surface Field • Sheldon High School: Youth Sports Park with Multi -Use Synthetic Surface Field • North Eugene High School: Multi -Use Synthetic Surface Field • South Eugene High School: Multi -Use Synthetic Surface Field • Cal Young Middle School: Neighborhood Park Improvements and Skateboard Park Public workshops were sponsored by City and School District staff to evaluate three potential youth sports park/athletic field sites at Churchill High School/Kennedy Middle School campus; Sheldon High School; and Cal Young Middle School. Each workshop included an Open House in which people were able to view a variety of information materials, talk with City and School District staff, and comment on the proposed developments. A facilitated discussion followed each Open House. Based on the results of the public workshops, staff developed conceptual site plans and cost estimates for each of the proposed youth sports complexes (see attachments). Additional public workshops are planned to finalize the site plans. The Youth Sports Park Complex was first presented to the City Council on June 16, 1999. At that meeting the City Council voted unanimously to tentatively approve the Youth Sports Park concept and to instruct the City Manager to develop an intergovernmental agreement for Council review. The 4J School Board gave their approval of the project on July 1, 1999.