Parks and Recreation Director Michael Kashuba presents overview of Amarillo park system

During Tuesday meeting of Amarillo City Council, Parks and Recreation Director Michael Kashuba presented an overview of recent department activity, ongoing challenges, and major operational topics affecting the city’s parks system.

The update came after an April request from Councilmember Place One Time Reid, who asked the Amarillo Parks and Recreation Department to provide detailed information on projects, budget history, and performance trends over several years. Kashuba’s presentation compiled that material and delivered it to council members during the meeting.

He highlighted a range of completed and ongoing improvements across the city’s parks network. These included playground renovations, facility upgrades, and lighting projects at multiple locations. Funding sources have varied, with support coming from grants, American Rescue Plan Act allocations, and internal departmental funds, reflecting a mix of short-term relief dollars and long-term capital planning.

A portion of the briefing focused on the Amarillo Zoo and its staffing and financial history prior to the partnership with the Wild West Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. Kashuba noted that the zoo previously operated with a small team of eight full-time employees, especially when compared with larger facilities such as the Abilene Zoo, which had significantly higher staffing levels in the same period. He also pointed to differences in public subsidy levels, with Amarillo providing substantially less annual funding than peer institutions. Despite those constraints, he said staff consistently exceeded expectations in animal care, often relying on overtime, and expressed optimism that the new partnership structure will improve long-term operations.

The discussion also covered facility access policies, particularly restroom availability in school parks. Kashuba explained that closures at those locations follow guidance in the department’s Parks Master Plan, which reflected community input suggesting school entities should handle restroom maintenance responsibilities. At the same time, restrooms remain open in most community and regional parks. Exceptions include closures at East Park and a facility in John Ward Memorial Park due to collapsed sewer infrastructure requiring repair.

Operational decisions at John Stiff Park were also addressed. Kashuba said the new parking lot there was designed for controlled, special-event access rather than continuous public use. Limiting access has helped reduce loitering, noise complaints, and vandalism, while still allowing the space to be opened for organized activities through coordination with the department.

Vandalism across the park system remains a growing concern. Recent incidents include break-ins at the Southeast Pool, damage to restroom fixtures, destruction of bleachers at Thompson Park, and unsafe vehicle activity at John Stiff Park involving reckless driving behavior. Officials said these incidents increase maintenance costs and strain available resources.

Budget constraints continue to shape park operations. Since the coronavirus pandemic, capital funding has declined, forcing the department to prioritize essential repairs and smaller improvement projects. Staffing reductions in maintenance roles have increased reliance on outside contractors, while entry-level pay for park maintenance workers remains significantly below other city positions, making recruitment and retention more difficult.

Despite these challenges, the department is advancing several planning efforts. Current work includes an aquatic feasibility study, lighting and artificial turf assessments, a review of the Memorial Park gazebo at Memorial Park, and an athletic sports complex study. Additional planning is underway for improvements at Paramount Park and future development considerations for land in the Eastridge neighborhood.

City officials indicated that future priorities will focus on balancing immediate maintenance needs with long-term park development, while addressing vandalism and infrastructure issues across Amarillo’s growing recreational system.