Many projects are in the works next year for the Waukesha Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department.
But one major overhaul looks like it will have to wait a little longer than WPRF Director Ron Grall would have liked.
The WPRF's request for $37,500 that would start Phase 1 of the Buchner Park Pool Redevelopment project next year has instead been recommended for 2015 by City Administrator Ed Henschel.
With department directors in attendance at last week's Committee of the Whole meeting at City Hall, Henschel went through the 2014 and five-year Capital Improvement Program budgets.
The redevelopment of the pool, at 223 Oakland Ave., would create a new modern multi-use facility design with updated equipment.
According to its request, the plan is for a separate building to not only serve as a bath house, but also to serve concessions, a warming house for ice skating and a community room for year-round meetings and program functions. A new aquatic facility — different than what is offered at the Horeb Springs Aquatic Center — would also be developed.
Buchner Pool was built in 1967 and is in need of a serious makeover, Grall told the Common Council.
"We've had a great life at that facility, (but) we've maximized that facility out," Grall said. "There's no question the amenities are old."
The 2014 request was so the department could develop and finalize a facility master plan with cost estimates.
"That would be more discussion," Grall said. "Working through the investigation phase, getting community input and to develop a plan. We'll be getting a consensus of the community and what we want this facility to look like. That's accomplishing a lot."
He added "there's a lot of interest" in this project and he's "very confident we can build a fantastic facility that people will support."
The proposed request was for construction to start in 2015, but if funding is pushed off it wouldn't begin until 2016.
Henschel reiterated his reasons for moving this and other unrelated items to the following budget cycle.
"For all of the items in the CIP Budget, I didn't find a single item that a department director submitted that I thought was frivolous or unnecessary," Henschel said. "The real goal No. 1 was (based on) affordability. No. 2 was to level out the impacts of the community, so we didn't have significant peaks and valleys in the levy."
More soccer fields
Henschel, meanwhile, did not have any issue funding other proposed WPRF projects.
A major proposed project is the Mindiola North Soccer Field and Pathway Development. The cost is $270,000 but the SC Waukesha Soccer Club will pay $75,000 of the project.
Seven youth-sized soccer fields and the construction of an asphalt pathway system on the north side of Mindiola Park (north of Hoover Avenue) would add to the existing five fields located on the park's south side.
The site is at the former Hoover Avenue landfill and at the recommendation of the City of Waukesha's Park & Open Space Plan, the intended use of the site is recreational. Besides the five soccer fields, the property already includes two basketball courts and the north side of the parking lot has been renovated.
A considerable amount of fill is needed to bring the field up to proper grade, the WPRF's request says. The WPRF added it has partnered with SC Waukesha to work with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources during the planning stages to address any anticipated landfill concerns/restrictions.
Improved playground
Another project included putting forth $250,000 for the Schuetze Recreation Center Playground and Redevelopment. However, its goal is secure $125,000 or 50 percent of the total cost through non-tax dollars.
According to the WPRF's request, the project involves multiple community partners, including United Way, UW Extension, Fox River Development Foundation and The Park Foundation of Waukesha as well as support from the city's Public Works/Engineering Department.
The WPRF says the Schuetze Recreation Center playground area is one of the oldest in its park system dating to the early 1990s. The play structures and related surfaces are in "great need" to be updated, its request states.
Proposed improvements include the creation of separate playground areas (one for 2- to 5-year-olds and another for 6- to 12-year-olds), new rubber safety surfacing, site preparation, American Disabilities Act accessibility, a new concrete walkway (Born Learning Trail) and the development of a community rain garden. The current playground would be converted to a rain garden.
"The new playground area would better address periodic flooding concerns and feature new modern play equipment," its request states.
Upgrading tennis complexes
The Heyer Park Woyahn Tennis Center could also get two more courts, bleachers and shade structures. The Waukesha Tennis Association has already committed $90,000, half of the money for the $180,000 project.
The additional courts would give the complex 18 and coupled with the upgrades, its request states "this would help better enable the City/WTA to attract larger more regional/national level tournaments, better accommodate current recreational users, tennis instruction programs and competitive programs."
In a related item, the WPRF has already put in its request for 2015 to have the 10 Lowell Park tennis courts upgraded with crack filling, patching and resurfacing. The cost estimate is $45,000 but is currently seeking assistance from the WTA, UW-Waukesha and Waukesha School District.
Park shelter improvements/repairs are also in store for Prairie, Waukesha Springs, Pebble Valley, Banting, the Saratoga Complex and Buchner. The cost is $62,500 for replacing new roofs and doors at the facilities.