Westlake Issue 53 Will Boost Parks & Recreation: No New Taxes

Public Open House Oct. 25….

Westlake ballot issue 53 appearing in the Nov. 7 election will support a list of city Parks and Recreation Master Plan improvements without raising taxes.

The issue asks voters to continue a one-eighth per cent (0.125%) existing income tax.

Monies from the issue will be used to support a number of Parks and Recreation plans, including:

Aquatics Center at Peterson Pool

More amenities are planned for the center to replace the current Peterson Pool, the popular center of summer activity for all ages, including a large bath house, lazy river with sprays and jets, splash pad, lap pool with diving well extension, a climbing wall, and a plunge pool.

Senior and Community Services Center

A safer and more senior-friendly facility suitable to the many activities and services provided by the Community Services Department will help older adults enjoy a longer, more active, socially engaged, and a healthier retirement. The center would be located near the Rec Center with amenities that include a theater, café and lounge, and suitable classrooms for many activities.

Bradley Road Sports Park

The proposed complex will include 4 new lighted baseball fields, 2 lighted soccer fields, and 2 artificial turf fields with lights and seating, trails that will connect the Sports Park to Bradley Nature Park, a playground and a picnic pavilion.

Improvements at Existing Facilities and Properties

• Porter Road Fields – A new restroom building will be added.

• Recreation Center Park – The two existing baseball fields will be renovated and lighting, fencing, trails and a new picnic shelter will be added. The current playground will also be renovated.

• Recreation Center Gym Addition – A multi-purpose room that could support two junior high basketball courts are proposed. Circulation and other auxiliary space would also be included.

• Clague Playhouse Athletic Fields – The grounds behind the current facility will be transformed into an east side baseball and softball complex featuring four diamonds and expanded parking. A restroom will be installed with a small concession stand and playground.

• Clague Park – The majority of the park will be reconfigured into a passive space with two large baseball diamonds to remain. These diamonds are scheduled to be renovated in 2017 and 2018. The five small baseball diamonds will be removed and the Clague Park oval will be restored. The two large baseball diamonds to remain will be the premiere diamonds for the City with a building housing a maintenance area, a restroom and a press-box to be constructed. The trail system within the park will be expanded and the current Clague Cabin will be renovated.

• Bradley Nature Park – The existing bathrooms will be renovated and the playground will be replaced. Trails will be extended to the new Bradley Sports Park. The trail to Crocker Road will be constructed with the Dover Ditch Stream Restoration Project and will be enhanced by including signage, benches and rustic exercise stations.

“All of the stakeholders in our community, from the Parks and Recreation Commission, City Council, our Recreation, Planning, and Service Departments to the residents, businesses, and architects have been working diligently over the years to develop a master plan that utilizes our resources to improve the overall health and well-being of our residents and visitors,“ said Mayor Dennis M. Clough. “We are ready to move forward effectively and cost-efficiently with several of the new projects and to make the necessary improvements to existing facilities and properties.”

Lydia Gadd, the Director of the Community Services Department, spoke on the benefits of the proposed Senior and Community Services Building. The current building was the former Meadowood Club House that was renovated in 1994 with an addition completed in 2004.

“Safe accessibility for our seniors to get to and from a building designed to meet their physical and social needs has been on the forefront of all planning,” said Gadd.  The new facility would be age and mobility-friendly with a simple layout and no steps or unnecessary curbs, restrooms more conveniently located close to community rooms, effective lighting/sound, a theater, a café and lounge area, and classrooms suitable to their purpose.

“One of the problems of our current location is accessibility in and out of a sloped driveway on the busy five-lane intersection at Crocker Rd. and Center Ridge Rd.,” said Gadd. “The new site was chosen to allow for the center to have its own driveway and parking lot.”

Gadd also noted that helping seniors to be able to remain independent in their homes, known as Aging-in-Place, also can yield savings for their families and the community, comparing an estimated cost of home health aide when needed at $20 per hour versus assisted living at $119 per day and a nursing home at $220 a day.

Bob DeMinico, Director of the Recreation Department, also raised identified health and wellness benefits for residents and visitors to the city from the proposed improvement projects.

“We have heard for years from doctors and public health officials that Americans are still not regularly active, resulting in obesity and the associated chronic diseases that continue to rise in every demographic, from children to seniors,” said DeMinico.

“The 12,000 current members of the Rec Center plus any of our non-member residents who can use the public facilities and parks have access to resources that can help them from being a statistic or possibly avoid becoming one in the future,” continued DeMinico. “Many of our aging facilities were not designed to meet the current needs of our community; much less what we expect will be required in the years to come.”

He cited just a few of the reasons the city has prioritized these projects and many of them involve old facilities that have not kept pace with the changing needs of the residents and whose maintenance costs continue to increase. For instance, according to the plans, a new Aquatics Center would replace the current Peterson Pool, which contains few amenities and is more than 50 years old with limited ADA accessibility and inefficient equipment.

In addition, the current athletic fields were created as temporary fields many years ago. The baseball, softball and soccer/lacrosse sports facilities are in need of significant upgrades and improvements such as safety fencing, drainage, accessibility and more. The Bradley Road Sports Park will address these problems. The very popular existing outdoor trails in the city’s parks also need maintenance; expanding the system of trails will improve the options available both for leisure and educational use. An additional gym at the recreation center will alleviate crowding during the fall and winter seasons and increase the amount of open time for parents and children.

“With these and the other physical improvements, new programming can be added to meet the growing needs and interests of the community creating a higher quality of life,” said DeMinico.

The city has published the architect’s renderings and details on each of the projects at www.cityofwestlake.org/Issue-53.

Open House and Public Forum on Oct. 25

Mayor Clough has invited residents and the general public to an Open House and Public Forum on Wednesday, October 25 from 6 – 9 p.m. at the Westlake Recreation Center to discuss these topics. At 7 p.m. in the Community Rooms, he will be joined by Gadd and DeMinico to present an update on the projects and will explain Issue 53. The presentation will be followed by a question and answer period.