Syracuse Parks Committee Meeting Discusses $5M in Capital Improvements – July 1, 2026
Syracuse Parks Committee Meeting – July 1, 2026
The Syracuse Common Council Parks Committee, chaired by Hannah Aaronreich, met to discuss six bond ordinances totaling approximately $5 million for various park improvements across the city. Committee members and parks staff presented project details, and members of the public provided testimony. No formal votes were taken; the committee will forward recommendations to the full council.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Charlie Sam expressed support for the Westminster Stairs project, noting its importance for residents and students, and for recreation.
- Rick Destito (owner of Gear Factory) advocated for the West Side Pump Track, detailing community efforts to build the original dirt track and the benefits of a paved version with lower maintenance.
- Laura Lawson (Salt Springs resident) supported the Homer Wheaton splash pad project, saying it would revitalize the neighborhood.
- Linda Irvine urged the committee to advance the veterans monument in Kirk Park, stating it is a long-overdue community project.
- A letter from Sam Gruber was entered into the record, emphasizing that good parks improve public perception, health, and economic impact.
Discussion Items
- Burnett Park Improvements (Items 47-48, $450,000): Bond for pool repair, HVAC, security fencing, restroom upgrades, and athletic surface improvements. Parks staff noted recent break-ins due to deteriorated fencing.
- Parks Facilities Improvements (Items 49-50, $750,000): Annual catch-all fund for maintenance of pools, roofs, electrical, plumbing, etc.
- Westminster Stairs (Items 51-52, $1.7 million bond, total project $3 million): Full replacement of non-ADA compliant stairs closed since about 2020. Additional funding includes $600,000 from Senator May's office and $700,000 from other city accounts. Project has been a priority for East Side constituents.
- West Side Pump Track (Items 53-54, $300,000): Relocation and paving of the existing dirt pump track in Lighthall Park. Community engagement will guide design, and parks will maintain the new track.
- Travelers Rest Abatement (Items 55-56, $200,000): Phase one of remediating an asbestos-contaminated stone building in Kirk Park, with future plans for a community space and restrooms.
- Homer Wheaton Concession Stand and Splash Pad (Items 57-58, $450,000): Addition of a prefab concession building and splash pad. Total project cost estimated at $750,000, including previous allocations and a DASNY grant. Council members emphasized the need for cooling centers in a warming climate.
- Creek Walk Vegetation Management (Items 59-60, $350,000): Restoration of riparian buffer from Franklin Square to Onondaga Lake, removing invasive species and replanting native trees. Related lighting and fencing repairs will be included.
Other Items
- The committee acknowledged a public hearing on Monday, July 6, 2026, to consider naming the Homer Wheaton concession stand and the Dennis Bardinette ball court at McChesney Community Center.
- Commissioner Bird noted an $11.5 million award from Assembly Member Magnarelli for Schiller Park improvements.
- Arborist Steve Harris discussed challenges with right-of-way vegetation management; council members requested coordination with DPW.
Key Outcomes
- All bond ordinances were discussed but not voted on; the committee will report to the full Common Council.
- The committee chair emphasized the positive impact of investing $5 million in capital improvements across the city's parks.
Meeting Transcript
Depending on time keeping. I don't have my phone, I left it with my children. I think we have like half a minute left, but I appreciate everyone for coming. If you don't know the people seated to your left or to your right in front of you or behind you, please introduce yourselves. Please there's the beautiful people. Hello. I just wanted to know if we knew that there were other people. And did you hear it from uh Helen or Petrona? Okay. Okay. Sure. Hey Caleb, would you want to give the other members of the park committee a call and just ask if they're like to join us? Yeah, thank you. I no demands, just if they didn't remember. No, it's even better. It truly is I didn't look in my email. Oh, okay. It's nine o'clock-ish. I'm declaring this parks committee meeting open. I am Hannah Aaronreich, chair of the parks committee. Pleasure to see everyone here today. So I believe we're gonna start with a discussion of the items that we're holding on our agenda. Items 47 through 60. The first one up is the sale of bonds. Oh, who is here? So sorry, thank you very much. Uhending is Martinave, district counselor. Jimmy Monto, District Councilor, Corey Williams, district counselor. We have Joshua Wilcox, landscape designer of the parks department. Saishabur Commissioner Parks. And also um I want to thank everyone again for coming here today. We are gonna run through the items and present presentation. I would like to welcome public comment um on these items. So just letting you know that once we have the commissioners uh discussion on the items, you're welcome to come to the mic. We will be limiting people to two minutes of comments, one minute of comments. Two minutes of comments. Sounds fair. Sound good? Yep. All right. Jazz hands if you agree. Good? Yeah, excellent, fabulous. All right, moving on from that. Anything else I need to do? All right, cool. We're gonna start with 47. Um, bonds for the uh Burnett Park improvements. Total amount not to exceed 450,000. Just a quick rundown.
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