Steamboat Springs — The Steamboat Springs City Council on Tuesday night will hear a proposal to expedite the construction of a public park with river access at the Workman property on Yampa Street.

The city closed on the purchase of the old home site on Yampa for $610,000 and intends to turn it into a park with access to the river.

The property was purchased using lodging tax revenue that voters approved spending on improvements for the popular downtown roadway.

City staff will present the council with an option to complete an initial phase of the park conversion this summer instead of waiting until next year for the full amount of lodging tax funding to accrue for the improvements.

According to city staff, starting the park conversion sooner would create efficiencies because a deteriorating culvert adjacent to the property already is scheduled to be replaced in the fall.

To start the project sooner, the council would have to be comfortable borrowing $125,000 from the pool of lodging tax funds the Yampa Street improvements will receive in 2016.

City staff said there are sufficient funds to be able to do that.

In addition, $50,000 of city capital improvement funds already in the budget this year to replace the culvert could be leveraged with the lodging tax money so that the culvert and retaining walls could be replaced in a way that compliments a park.

Instead of putting back the walls as they are now, the city could add terracing down to the river.

“This budget would also enable staff to demolish the (house), remove the retaining wall along the river, improve river and creek banks and create green space with grass and landscaping on the property,” City Manager Deb Hinsvark told the council in her regular city manager’s report.

The work would be considered an initial phase of converting the property into a park.

Other amenities could be added to the property in the future.

A citizens committee that recommended the purchase of the park has suggested that sponsorships or grants could be used to help fund of the future amenities.

To reach Scott Franz, call 970-871-4210, email scottfranz@SteamboatToday.com or follow him on Twitter @ScottFranz10