The Jefferson City Parks and Recreation Commission approved moving forward with improvements at Community Park during Tuesday's meeting.
The commission approved a contract with Kansas City firm Warner Nease Bost Architects, stating design and construction documents for improving Community Park cannot exceed $268,000.
The recent draft parks master plan listed the 3.5-acre Community Park as the No. 1 priority, suggesting a complete makeover that includes a new spray ground, a large pyramid climbing structure and climbing wall, side-by-side zipline racers, interactive play sculptures, toddlers' play mounds and climbing logs, space for an outdoor amphitheater, benches, restrooms, new shelters and 50 parking spaces.
"From what I've said before and what the master plan shows from the beginning, this is the key number one area," said Todd Spalding, Jefferson City Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department director. "I think with the data we've seen, the families, the kids, their needs for play features are not being met and that's what we're striving for."
The estimated cost for all recommended changes to Community Park, at 725 Marshall St., is $2.5 million-$3 million.
The Jefferson City Cultural Arts Foundation also fundraised money for a splash park at Community Park, raising about $50,000.
The Parks Department has about $4 million in its fund balance that could go toward renovating the parks, Spalding said, and receives $500,000 annually from the half-percent capital improvement tax.
The commission also approved a master contract, retaining Warner Nease Bost Architects for the next two years. As the commission decides what projects from the master plan it wants to do, it can utilize WNB for construction and design plans.
The parks master plan lays out improvements to the Jefferson City parks system over the next 10-20 years.