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Friday, Oct. 16 | ☀️ 89°/71°
Welcome to the weekend, everyone! If you’re looking for a way to spend part of your weekend outdoors, the city and Friends of the Desert Mountains are hosting a volunteer clean-up at the Bump & Grind Trailhead from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday. Residents of all ages, local organizations and student groups are encouraged to pitch in, because even small actions can make a lasting difference in protecting our desert’s beauty!
🎶 Setting the mood: "Saturday In The Park" by Chicago
Leading Off
The latest design for Dave Erwin Park, as included in a staff report reviewed by the Palm Desert City Council.
Council OKs scaled-back $33M plan for Dave Erwin Park
The Palm Desert City Council voted 4-1 this month to approve a revised plan and $33 million budget for Dave Erwin Park. The 27-acre community park will no longer include a splash pad, disc golf, bocce courts or an event stage.
Driving the news: The splash pad was the main point of disagreement at the Oct. 8 meeting. Staff said it would cost $1.4 million to build and about $42,000 a year to maintain.
The bocce courts, event stage and disc golf would have cost about $600,000 together, for total savings of about $2 million.
Splash pad debate: Three council members opposed adding the feature. Councilmember Jan Harnik said in the park’s windy, sandy location, “what you get is a mud pad, and then significant cost for the upkeep.”
Councilmember Karina Moreno’s motion to flag the splash pad for future consideration failed 3-2. The plan as presented then passed 4-1, with Moreno the only no vote.
Disc golf: Senior Project Manager Ryan Lamb said dropping it was a matter of practicality, citing the basin’s 5-to-1 slopes and high winds. The city already has a course at Hovley Soccer Park.
By the numbers: The budget is down from the roughly $35 million single-phase estimate staff presented in May. Staff did not ask for new funding and will return when the construction contract is ready for award.
What we’re watching: Construction is now expected to begin in fall 2027 and finish in summer 2029.
Once built, the park is expected to cost about $630,000 a year to maintain, Lamb said.
To get under the limit, I cut the opposing splash pad view, the resident’s disc golf comment, the Measure G funding detail and the schedule-delay explanation. I can restore any of those if you’d rather trim elsewhere.
Briefly
A developer hoping to turn a church into a medical office is running into obstacles as commissioners hope the unique characteristics of the building are preserved, despite not being designated as a historical landmark.
🏛️ Palm Desert panel delays church conversion
The Palm Desert Architectural Review Commission voted 5-0 Tuesday to delay a decision on converting the former University Baptist Church on Fred Waring Drive into a medical office, asking for changes to the building’s entrance. It is the second time the panel has held over the item since first reviewing it Aug. 25.
Commissioner John Vuksic suggested replacing the solid wall in front of the lobby with glass and thinning the roofline. “We really try hard not to design buildings here,” he said. Staff had recommended approval of the project, which would expand the building from 7,469 square feet to 9,325 square feet.
Details: The Palm Springs Preservation Foundation said the changes would “dramatically compromise” architect Richard Harrison’s original design. The property is listed in the city’s historic resources inventory but is not a designated landmark, so it undergoes standard design review.
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📅 Featured Events
MULTIPLE DAYS
Randy Rainbow: National Freakin’ Treasure at McCallum Theatre ($60)
Gameacon Coachella Valley at The Shops at Palm Desert ($33)
TODAY
Shoshana Bean at McCallum Theatre at 8 p.m. ($60)
SATURDAY
College of the Desert Street Fair at 8 a.m.
Observatory Public Exploration Night at 8 p.m.
SUNDAY
The Rare Market at The Gardens on El Paseo at 10 a.m.
Sips & Psychics at Sottovoce Cafe at 1 p.m.
Desert Star Awards - 2026 at 38180 Del Webb Blvd. at 4 p.m. ($66–$71)
TUESDAY
Palm Desert Architectural Review Commission at City Hall at 12:30 p.m.
Palm Desert Planning Commission at City Hall at 6 p.m.
Chris Ruggiero at McCallum Theatre at 7 p.m.
WEDNESDAY
Sustainable Water Supply Tour at Coachella Valley Water District at 8 a.m.
Gatherings: Poetry and Painting with Judy Nemer Sklar at Artists Center at the Galen at 10 a.m. ($26–$60)
Iyengar Yoga for Healthy Aging - A Gentle Yoga for Older Adults at 73875 Highway 111 at 10 a.m.
THURSDAY
Palm Desert Historic Preservation Committee at City Hall at 9 a.m.
Palm Desert City Council at City Hall at 4 p.m.
Board Game Night at The Dragon Den at 5 p.m. ($10–$20)
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✨ And Finally …
File photo
Palm Springs has a parks foundation. So do La Mesa and Colton. Palm Desert, for now, has a presentation.
Driving the news: City staff gave the Parks and Recreation Committee an overview of municipal park foundations at its regular October , answering a committee member’s request from June.
Community Services Manager Sean Muir said a park foundation is typically a separate charitable organization that raises and manages private money for public priorities, while the city keeps control of its assets and policy.
The hurdles: Muir said forming one would be a significant undertaking, requiring a board, a secretary and a treasurer. The finance department would also have to work with the foundation to keep funds from being commingled.
The feedback: One committee member questioned how a foundation could be independent if the council approves its priorities.
Mayor Evan Trubee said he sees no problem a parks foundation would solve, noting the council rejected a library foundation partly over concerns about giving up control, and because donors can already give directly to the city.
What’s next: The City Council has given no direction to pursue a parks foundation. Muir said any committee recommendation would go to the council first, and staff would do no further work until the council gave direction. The topic could be discussed again later.
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