10-Year Facilities Plan

Parks and Recreation Facilities Plan

The Parks & Recreation 10-Year Facilities Plan is a planning document that provides guidance regarding investments in parks and recreation facilities for the next decade. Projects identified in the 10-Year Facilities Plan are priority ranked by the anticipated timeframe within which investments should be made to keep facilities in good working condition and open to the public. It should be noted that priorities can change based on emergent situations. The 10-Year Facilities Plan guides development of the Parks and Recreation Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The timelines of improvements depend on availability of limited City funding for which there are numerous needs and priorities.

On December 13, 2023, the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board adopted the 2023 Update to the Lincoln Parks and Recreation and Lincoln Municipal Golf 10-Year Facilities Plan. 


The Parks & Recreation 10-Year Facilities Plan provides guidance regarding investments in parks and recreation facilities for the next decade.

  • The 10-Year Facilities Plan guides the preparation of the Parks & Recreation Department's Capital Improvement Program (CIP).
  • The plan includes the continuous need to repair/replace/renew existing facilities and make major renovations to aging infrastructure.
  • The plan also includes the development of new facilities to serve community growth and address evolving recreation and leisure interests.
  • For park and trail related facilities, the plan is organized by quadrants that correspond to operation/maintenance districts. Projects of a general nature are listed under Administration. Aquatic facilities and recreation/community centers are listed in separate sections.

Projects that involve a capital fundraising campaign in partnership with the Lincoln Parks Foundation are identified in a table presented below the summary of estimated costs by district and priority ranking.

The initial version of the plan was developed in 2013 through a series of community meetings of the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board.

  • The plan has been subsequently reviewed and updated every two years to facilitate preparation of the biennium CIP.
  • The plan was adoped by the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board on December 14, 2023.
  • Dollar amounts represent current estimated costs and do not include an inflation factor for time over the 10-year period.
  • Each project listed in the plan is assigned an A-B-C priority level as recommended by staff and reviewed with the Advisory Board:

A. Project that will address a much-needed improvement that may include a safety concern, accessibility issue, and/or prevent an increased cost in the future as the asset further degrades. If possible, funding will be sought in years one and two of the CIP.

B. Project that will provide a much-needed improvement and prevent an increased cost in the future as the asset degrades, but it is not considered an immediate safety concern. The need for future funding will be identified in years three through six in the CIP.

C. Project that will address an anticipated future need or desired improvement; however, it is not considered an immediate need for funding in the CIP.

  • Projects highlighted in green have been completed since the plan was last updated in 2021.
  • Projects listed in red are new additions and/or revisions to the plan since the 2021 update.
  • Project listed in blue have been identified as part of the plan for ten or more years.

A. Repair/Replacement/Renewal of Existing Facilities

An estimated $45.7 million* or $4.57 million annually is needed during the 10-year period.

 +

B. Development of New Neighborhood Parks & Trails

An estimated $6.1 million, or $610,000 annually is needed from Impact Fees during the 10-year period.

+

 C. Addition of New Community Recreation Facilities

Projects totaling an estimated $49.1 million are identified for development during the 10-year period.

* Includes 2.3 million for the replacement/infill of public street trees and $4.2 million for the Emerald Ash Borer response and recovery program.


Repair/Replacement/Renewal of Existing Facilities.

  • Approximately $3.92 million is needed each year for repair/replacement projects to keep existing facilities and supporting infrastructure in operable condition for continued safe and desirable public use.
  • An additional $234,000 is needed annually to replace and infill street trees across the City and $422,000 is needed annually for contractual tree removal, replanting and treatment of Ash Trees as part of the City's EAB response and recovery plan.
  • Keno revenue typically provides about $1.565 million per year to the CIP. For the next 15 years, $480,000 in keno funds will be used for debt retirement associated with financing construction of the replacement Air Park Recreation Center (2021). This results in $1.085 million being available for other CIP Projects.
  • In addition to keno funds, the proceeds from cell tower leases associated with park sites produces approximately $300,000 annually, thereby bringing the total funding dedicated to the CIP for projects focused on the repair/replacement of existing facilities to $1.385 million.
  • In recent years, an additional +$1.5M in general revenue funding has been appropriated annually to the CIP to reduce the gap between project costs and available funding (excludes approx. $355,000 of general revenue appropriated specifically for EAB impacts).

Development of New Neighborhood Parks & Trails.

  • Neighborhood parks and commuter/recreational trails in new growth areas of the City are funded primarily with impact fees generated from new residential construction. An estimated $6.1 million in impact fees are needed over the next 10 years to keep pace with growth of the City.
  • Over the last three years, approximately $320,000 in impact fees have been collected annually for the development of new neighborhood parks and commuter/recreational trails.

Addition of New Community Recreation Facilities.

  • New community recreation facilities to serve Lincoln's growing population include a variety of projects that include play courts, sports fields, park amenities, greenways and trails.
  • The estimated $49.2 million in potential projects for the next 10 years to provide additional recreational opportunities to the community includes $16.0 million for development of the South Haymarket Park and $1.5M to initiate park infrastructure development at Jensen Park.

To view full table including priority list, download the below.:

Lincoln Parks & Recreation 10-Year Plan - 2023 Update(PDF, 591KB)

Golf Facilities Plan

The Municipal Golf 10-Year Facilities Plan provides guidance regarding investments in golf course infrastructure for the next decade.

  • The plan guides preparation of the Parks & Recreation Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for the Golf Program.
  • The plan focuses on the necessity to repair/replace/renew existing facilities and make renovations of aging infrastructure.
  • The plan is organized by golf course - Highlands, Holmes, Mahoney, Pioneers and Ager.
  • Dollar amounts represent current estimated costs and do not include an inflation factor for time over the 10-Year period.
  • Projects highlighted in green have been completed since the last update to the plan in 2021.
  • Projects listed in red are new additions and/or revisions to the plan since the 2021 update.

The plan was first developed in 2017 through a series of community meetings of the Municipal Golf Advisory Committee.

  • The plan is subsequently reviewed and updated every two years to facilitate preparation of the biennium CIP.
  • This version of the plan to be updated/adopted by the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board in November, 2023.

Funding sources for Golf Program Capital Repair and Replacement Expenses

  • The Golf Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and Irrigation Systems Surcharges generate approximately $316,000 annually.
  • Cell tower lease revenues result in a total of about $135,000 annually while revenue from an agreement with Benchcraft yields an additional $20,000 each year.
  • The combined total of these funding sources available for capital repair/replacement/renewal is $471,000 per year.
  • This funding may be augmented with net annual operating revenue of the five courses on a year-by-year basis depending on the number of rounds played, course operation expenses, etc.
  • During previous year $536,524 in operating revenue was transferred into the Golf CIP and another $237,271 will be transferred this year.
  • An average of $250,000 in operating revenue will be made available to the Golf CIP is projected for the 10 years ahead.

Golf Irrigation Surcharge

  • The first of 10 annual debt payment of approximately $168,000 for the bond financing to renovate the irrigation system at Pioneers Golf was made in 2022.
  • The surcharge will continue to be collected with a portion of the proceeds being repurposed for debt retirement over the next nine years for the bond to fund renovation of the irrigation system at Pioneers Golf.
  • Following renovation of the irrigation system at the Pioneers Golf Course (2021-22), the irrigation systems at Holmes Golf and at Mahoney Golf will have exceed their expected life spans and will be the next priorities for irrigation systems funding.

Estimated "Gap" in annual funding for Golf Program Capital Repairs and Improvements

  • Per 10-year projections, approximately $929,500 is needed each year for repair/replacement/renewal projects to keep existing golf course infrastructure in operable condition for safe, enjoyable, desirable use.
  • After debt payment for the irrigation system bond, a total of approximately $553,000 is available on an annual basis from the funding sources identified above (includes $250,000 in operating revenue transferred to the Golf CIP).
  • An additional $376,500 will be needed each year to fully fund the $929,500 projection.

To view full table including priority list, download the drafts below.

Lincoln City Golf 10-Year Plan - 2023 Update(PDF, 348KB)