Salina Parks & Recreation Advisory Board Summary
Week of August 20, 2026
Kenwood Cove memberships drop amid price hikes, state program exclusion
City installs security cameras at Hawthorne spray pad following behavioral concerns
Youth summer camps, 'Play Day in the Park' hit maximum capacity
Replacing storm-damaged trees will take years, parks officials say
City adds 10 new trees to downtown Salina following storm losses
Pestinger Family Stadium improvements finish under budget
Kenwood Cove memberships drop amid price hikes, state program exclusion
SALINA, Kan. — The Salina Parks and Recreation Advisory Board reviewed the 2026 Kenwood Cove season on Wednesday, noting a continuing decline in membership admissions. City staff attributed the drop to necessary membership price increases driven by rising payroll costs, as well as the water park's continued exclusion from the state's Sunflower Summer program, which offers discounted attraction admissions. Additionally, a cool and rainy June hampered early-season daily attendance and forced several swim lesson cancellations, though officials noted overall expenses currently appear lower than in previous years as they await final utility and payroll bills.
City installs security cameras at Hawthorne spray pad following behavioral concerns
SALINA, Kan. — The Parks and Recreation Department recently installed a security camera at the Hawthorne Park spray pad in response to reported behavioral concerns occurring at the facility. Staff plan to install additional security cameras at the city's other public splash pads at Centennial Park and Jerry Ivey Memorial Park, though officials noted that finding secure mounting locations high enough to prevent vandalism remains a logistical challenge.
Youth summer camps, 'Play Day in the Park' hit maximum capacity
SALINA, Kan. — Salina's summer recreation programs operated at maximum capacity this year, with the city's youth summer camp filling up on its first day of registration and hosting up to 91 campers weekly. Additionally, the department's "Play Day in the Park" event drew an estimated 2,000 attendees in July, while a new indoor summer toddler time program at the Salina Fieldhouse successfully averaged 25 to 30 children.
Replacing storm-damaged trees will take years, parks officials say
SALINA, Kan. — Replacing the trees destroyed in recent severe storms will take Salina several years due to staffing and maintenance limitations, parks officials reported Wednesday. While city locations saw significant damage — with Gypsum Hill Cemetery losing approximately 44 trees and Thomas Park losing 11 — the city's forestry crew typically only has the capacity and water resources to plant and maintain eight to 12 new trees annually during the hot summer months.
City adds 10 new trees to downtown Salina following storm losses
SALINA, Kan. — In an effort to bolster downtown revitalization and offset recent canopy losses, the city planted at least 10 new trees in downtown Salina near the intersections of Santa Fe Avenue and Fifth and Seventh streets. Parks officials noted that while the demand for public property tree replacement across the city remains overwhelmingly high following recent storm damage, the downtown plantings represent a prioritized step in restoring the community's landscaping.
Pestinger Family Stadium improvements finish under budget
SALINA, Kan. — Construction and renovations at Pestinger Family Stadium have officially concluded, with the project coming in under budget for both the city and its private partners. The City of Salina finished its portion of the project about 5 percent under budget, while Salina Baseball Enterprises came in 2 percent under budget. Final touches, including a flagpole and donor recognition plaques, are slated for installation this fall as part of the park's finalized plans.
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