The Woodland City Council unanimously approved a contract Monday, June 3, with Harper Houf Peterson Righellis Inc. (HHPR) to begin engineering and design work for Horseshoe Lake Park improvements.
The $258,670 contract sets the stage for long-awaited improvements to one of Woodland’s most visible and heavily used public spaces. Planned design elements include a paved parking lot, new restrooms near the skate park, sidewalks, pedestrian paths and a multimodal trail connecting the park to city-owned land near Island Aire Drive, connecting residents south of the park.
Public Works Director Riley Bunnell emphasized the safety and accessibility benefits of the project.
“We noticed that that area in the summertime when it’s heavily populated with residents and out-of-towners ... you get a lot of children run across that road with pool noodles headed to the lake and so on and so forth,” Bunnell said. “So, we really identified the safety aspect there that we really need to build in.”
This project’s funding will be covered by reallocating $197,455 from previously budgeted 2025 Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) grant match funds. An additional $61,215 will be sourced from general fund tax revenue.
The contract also positions the city to compete for up to $3 million in grant funding through the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) in early 2026. By designing the project in phases, city staff plan to submit multiple applications under the $1 million RCO cap.
“This would give us the (roughly) $259,000 ... to then go after those grant opportunities in the future,” Bunnell said.
He also noted the potential for the upgraded park to generate revenue through food vendors, supported by new utility hookups.
Mayor Todd Dinehart called Horseshoe Lake Park “the crown jewel” of Woodland and stressed the importance of long-term investment.
“When people pass by on I-5, we want to be known and be seen — ‘Oh look at that beautiful park down there,’” Dinehart said. “So if we can have a parking lot with a bathroom and just have it tidy up down there where it truly is ‘wow look at that,’ that would give a different ... perception.”
With the council’s approval, HHPR will begin engineering work immediately. The designs are expected to be completed by 30% before the city’s February 2026 grant applications to remain eligible for funding.
Woodland council approves contract for Pacific Avenue sidewalk project
The Woodland City Council also unanimously approved a contract Monday, June 3, allowing construction to move forward on a long-planned sidewalk project along Pacific Avenue.
The vote authorizes Mayor Todd Dinehart to sign an agreement with Clark and Sons Excavating Inc., the lowest responsible bidder for the work. The company will build new sidewalks from Hoffman Street to roughly 150 feet south of Dale Street, creating a continuous pedestrian route along Pacific Avenue.
The project is partially funded through a $200,000 grant awarded by the state Transportation Improvement Board. The city committed a 20% local match, or $49,000, which was already included in the 2025 budget.
Mayor Todd Dinehart said the final bid came in well below the expected cost, only amounting to $110,980.
“I will note that the bid on this came back substantially lower, so the city match (Public Works Director Riley Bunnell) is working with them to see what the engineering has been paid and (if they) will cover our match, since they were expecting to pay more,” Dinehart said.
Construction is expected to begin after the contractor submits required bonding documents and the final contract is executed.
