Gazelle Meadows Park is an 8.40-acre neighborhood park located at 500 N. Exeter Street. This park serves the recreational needs for the residents in the square mile bordered by Ray Road, Arizona Avenue, Chandler Boulevard, and McQueen Road. The park was originally developed as a retention basin in 1985. Park amenities were added in 1992. Existing amenities include a shaded playground, ramada, open space turf, lighted walking paths, and landscaping. As with all City of Chandler park development/renovation projects, public input plays an important role in ensuring the ideas, issues, and/or concerns of Chandler residents are heard. The public input process for this project has been particularly robust. On September 30, 2022, City staff attended the City of Chandler’s Contigo event held at Galveston Elementary School, which is the nearest school site to Gazelle Meadows Park. At this event, residents were asked what park improvements they would like to see completed. In addition to this event, residents were asked to complete an online survey regarding the park. On October 20, 2022, staff facilitated an in-person public input meeting at Galveston Elementary School. Finally, on February 6, 2023, staff attended and presented at a meeting of the Galveston Stakeholders, an informal group of neighborhood leaders and organizations convened by the City to coordinate community engagement and enhancement efforts in the area. Through public meetings and the survey, residents expressed a desire for the following improvements: lighted basketball court, additional playground equipment, additional shade, additional picnic ramadas, outdoor exercise equipment, skate plaza, parking, updated landscaping, and new site furnishings (chilled drinking fountain, seating, picnic tables, trash cans). These requests will be incorporated, as feasible, into the formal design process. This project is part of an ongoing, multidisciplinary effort to enhance community amenities in the Galveston neighborhood. Previously, City Council approved design contracts for storm system improvements (December 2021) and sewer and water improvements (August 2022), as well as pre-construction services (December 2022). The projects are being funded from various sources, but are being centrally coordinated by the City to ensure a seamless overall process and maximum positive impact on the neighborhood. To that end, it is anticipated a single contractor will be used to construct all the improvements, which include drainage, utilities, streetscape, and park enhancements. The consultant's scope of work for this contract includes data acquisition, meetings, site visits, survey, utility coordination, geotechnical evaluation, drainage analysis, design services for landscape, civil, structural and electrical engineering, plans, specifications, and cost estimate. The contract completion time is 240 calendar days following Notice to Proceed. |