One of the community’s goals in “Our Plan,” the Town’s Comprehensive Plan, is to identify opportunities for redevelopment or new construction to provide best-in-class facilities in the town. When Town Council adopted the fiscal year 2022 budget in June, we approved $28 million in funds supporting capital projects with that goal in mind. Capital projects are undertakings that help us improve or maintain a town asset. Projects may be new construction, expansion, renovation, or replacement of existing facilities or equipment.
Funding for capital projects is achieved by identifying the needed capital improvements, the cost of projects with ongoing maintenance and operating requirements, and funding support for the projects.
The town’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) is comprised of public infrastructure projects and capital needs. Many of these projects were identified as needs in “Our Plan” and prioritized through the work of staff, the Parks and Recreation Commission, the Planning Commission, and Town Council. Projects are organized into the following categories: beach management, pathway management, roadway management, park management, facility and equipment management, fleet management, and land acquisition.
Key projects in this year’s CIP include ongoing beach management and monitoring in preparation of an upcoming beach renourishment project; new-and-improved pathways to expand our existing 64-mile pathway network with a focus on safety and accessibility; streetscape improvements along William Hilton Parkway and Pope Avenue; new-and-improved parks and recreation facilities; stormwater projects including the Wexford pump station; and Fire Rescue apparatus replacement.
Soon we will kick off two major projects: the Mid-Island Tract Park and Redevelopment Strategy and the redevelopment of Chaplin Community Park and Crossings Park. World-class consultant teams have been hired for these projects. The community will be invited to join elected officials in giving input on the project development.
This year, we have made a major shift in our CIP with the creation of a Capital Projects Division in the town’s Infrastructure Services Department. The division will be staffed with a team of project managers who are dedicated to working with our consultants and engaging community to advance these important projects. The team will also be tracking and reporting on the status of projects so that you and I know how and where the budgeted funds are being spent.
I hope you share my excitement as we start the planning and construction of projects that meet our best-in-class standards and meet the current and future needs of our community.
