In yet another split 3-2 vote, the ruling majority of the Cypress City Council refused to postpone $40 million on the most expensive park in the city’s history.
According to Cypress officials, the cost of the “reimagining” of Cypress Arnold Park will be $40 million, which includes an estimated construction cost of $33.5 million and $7 million in interest.
Further, with an estimated property tax income of $8 million per year for the city’s Recreation District, Finance Director Matt Burton told the Council that the financing agreement proposed for Cypress Arnold Park will likely consume all new park spending for the next decade.
The city plans to “loan” to the Recreation and Parks District the funds to construct the park while using portions of the Recreation District dedicated property tax income to repay the loan, with interest over a 20-year span.
Burke suggested the city should have been able to find less costly options to refurbish the park.
“If all we’re seriously considering is the $33.5 million option, at the end of the time, the Recreation and Parks district will have spent $40 million on one of our 21 parks,” he said.
“To balance the needs of Arnold, Cypress park users, along with the needs of our other residents is to thoroughly explore different options at different price levels,” Burke suggested. “This conversation feels like it’s being framed as if the only way to support Arnold Cypress Park and girls softball is by spending $33.5 million. And that is troubling to me,” he said.
“I have to believe that there is a way to improve Arnold’s Cypress Park and give our girls softball players great fields for significantly less than $33.5 million,” the Council member said, noting the price of the park has gone up five million in a week and more than $13 million since he was elected to the Council in 2022.
“I understand costs are high,” responded Mayor Anne Hertz-Mallari. “But that is a fact of life whether you’re buying milk or you’re buying a park, everything has gone up and it’s not going to come down,” she said.
“The longer we wait the more expensive it will be and the more problems we’re going to have in that neighborhood,” said Hertz-Mallari. “We’re not talking about replacing a swing or putting a up a shade cover. We have to start from below ground and I understand the costs are high,” she said.
In his opening report, Recreation Director Jeff Draper said the original Arnold Cypress park “predates the city,” noting that it was initially constructed four years before the city was founded. He said the city officials held a workshop back in 2017 and since received more than 700 suggestions from residents on reimagining the park.
The City Council voted in July of 2022 to accept the preliminary redesign of Arnold Cypress Park.
Council member Frances Marquez suggested the park was not properly maintained and should not
“It was clear to me that Arnold Cypress Park is an example of the disparity in maintenance and distribution of resources between the different neighborhoods in Cypress,” said Marquez.
“Water and termite damage at the restrooms,” she said, indicated “they were not maintained and cleaned well.”
Marquez suggested a special meeting “so that residents can provide their feedback about the cost of the current plan designed versus a cost of rehabilitating the park to talk about the loan from the city to the district and how they envision the park in their neighborhood.”
The Council, supported by a roomful of Cypress softball players, was not interested in delay, “I know if we don’t do something now, we’re going to have to do it later. And pushing it out is not the solution,” the mayor said.
The new “transformative” park will be utilized by the Cypress Girls Softball League so the redesign includes four softball fields, batting cages and bullpens, eight lighted pickleball courts, childrens play area with fabric shade sails, restrooms and concession buildings, lighted basketball and volleyball courts, a half-mile walking path, 294 reserved parking spaces with 12 EV charging stations and designated picnic areas, exercise equipment, storage buildings, covered bleachers and 225 trees.
One resident, Bob Youngsma, said during oral communications that it was tragic that the construction would destroy 50 mature trees already on the site.
Others, like softball coach Jennifer Martinez, enthusiastically endorsed the redesign of Cypress Arnold Park.
“Cypress Girls Softball League is proving to be the top recreational league in north Orange County,” she told the Council.
“We have an amazing opportunity within the league to be able to capture youth’s attention and interest, helping them learn and grow, not just as a potential athlete but as a person of strong character and determination, someone who possesses strong leadership skills, and integrity.”
“It’s called a game, but to me, it’s defined by so much more than what results in a win or a loss. This sport, this game, is a teacher, most often giving the most difficult lessons of how to fail and how to get up and try again and again,” she said during oral communications.
“Much like we get through life,” she added,
Mayor Pro-tem Scott Minikus said an existing bronze plaque dedicated to veterans has been removed and placed in safekeeping and would be installed in the new park.
Minikus moved the staff recommendation to award contracts to move forward on the construction o f Cypress Arnold Park, it was seconded by Council member Bonnie Peat.
Hertz-Mallari, Minikus and Peat voted yes, while Burke and Marquez voted against the motion, suggesting there was no reason to rush to such a momentous expenditure of recreation funds.
The staff recommendation now awards a contract to Los Angeles Engineering, Inc. for $28,040,000 and authorize a contingency of $2,804,000, awards a contract to Griffin Structures, Inc. for Construction Management and Inspection Services for $875,000 and authorize a contingency of $87,500, appropriates an additional $6 million for the construction of Arnold Cypress Park; and approve a Repayment Agreement and Promissory Note between the City and District for an amount not to exceed $33.5 million.
The Council also rejected an attempt by Burke to have the city pay $10 million up front so “to give the Recreation and Parks District a greater ability to pay for improvements on other parks, add new programs and other services for the future.
Otherwise, Burke suggested, the new financing deal, added to an exiting financing deal from the city on Lexington Park that the Recreation District is still paying off, will put a chokehold on recreation for a decade.
City officials say construction of the park could take 12 months after preliminary site work is completed.
