Consultants begin casting vision for park improvements
Wider trails, a recreation center and a dog park are all on the table for potential park improvements. Lose & Associates, a firm out of Nashville, began research for a parks and recreation master plan this week.
About 25 people attended a public meeting on June 30, and the night before a steering committee of 24 people met with Lose to talk about their ideas for potential improvements and additions to the park system. Lose also visited all parks and recreation sites this week, assessed their condition and noted potential changes for the future.
“You have a lot to work with, and you use every square inch,” said Chris Camp of Lose & Associates.
The top five issues raised by the steering committee were buying more land, multipurpose sports facilities including indoor facilities, a recreation center, a senior center, and water fountains and restrooms.
At the June 30 meeting, Camp gave a presentation on park facilities across the country and then opened dialogue about their ideas, those presented by the steering committee, and those from people in attendance at the meeting.
“The bones of your system are good,” Camp said. “Boy does this city have trees! If you needed to cut a few to enhance your parks, I believe you’d never miss them.”
Camp’s initial suggestions based on park visits on Tuesday included:
- new surfacing on trail systems
- widening trails
- improving playgrounds and ensuring they are ADA compliant
- adding splash pads and shelters to parks
- looking at adding a dog park possibly with a membership fee structure
- creating a new community gathering space
- adding a walking path around Crestline field and improving it to better host community festivals
- using Overton Park for music events or movies in the park
- possibly buying the old swim and tennis club on Old Leeds Road that is for sale and creating a park and/or recreation buildings on the property
- adding trail signs and maps
- adding more aesthetic elements to parks
- starting athletic programming for young adults such as kickball leagues
- creating bike lanes.
Following the June 30 meeting, Lose and Associates will prepare a 30-question survey that will build on matters raised in interviews with city officials and staff as well as this week’s meetings with residents. It will ask questions like, “If the city had a new 25-acre parcel, what would be highest priorities for that space?” The survey will be posted on the city website and available for anyone to take.
From there Lose will use the survey data combined with their review of park visits, park policies, numbers from the sports association and school-parks agreements to develop a preliminary plan to share with the city. It will include assessments, findings, recommendations for new projects, a capital plan that outlines their cost and potential funding opportunities. The entire master plan process is slated for completion by November.