MOUNT VERNON – MKC Architects’ president and a designer with the Columbus firm updated City Council on Tuesday on the city park system master plan, using a preliminary proposal to show the process.
The company was looking primarily at Memorial Park, Riverside Park and the CA&C Railroad Depot, Matthew Teismann, president and CFO of MKC, told the council.
“But as we went through the process, it became pretty evident that there's other parks and they should play a bigger role in the master plan as well. So we started to incorporate them on a smaller scale, but they're also in the master plan,” he said.
The MKC team looks at Mount Vernon’s parks holistically as a system. It became evident each of the parks has its own identity and functions around its uses. Memorial Park might be more of an athletic park with its fields, while Riverside has a great play area but also feels a bit more residential, he said. The railroad depot has a prominent place as a gateway to the city.
The master plan looks at where money should be spent that benefit the long-term prospects of the park.
Meetings with city departments and three public information meetings helped collect input from the public, along with a survey sent to residents and sessions with groups that might not participate otherwise.
MKC has put together that feedback with its inventory and analysis to develop a strategy to move forward.
“But it's also an evolving document. We don't expect you to build it exactly the way everything is drawn there," Teismann said. "But again, it helps you make short term decisions while keeping a long-term vision in place."
The priorities set out in the preliminary version of the master plan start with safety, adding community engagement and reinvigorating the parks.
“You have fantastic parks already. It's just making them maybe fit a wider group of people or having more amenities,” MKC interior designer Jaime Donaldson said.
Some parks might not be used as much as others because they have the same type of equipment, she said. The city should make sure each park’s character comes through in its design.
“One in particular that comes to mind is Arch Park. It's kind of back there and like a wooded area; the river’s right there,” Donaldson said.
Added throughout the preliminary plan are ideas like splash pads and an improved skateboard park, giving a place for teenagers to gather. Or an art wall to engage the community.
The parks need these elements that bring people to them that fit each park’s character, but they also need consistency on signage and branding to show the park system as a whole, she said. The parks might get incorporated with a trail to make it easier for people to get from one park to another.
“Maybe not everyone has a bicycle or a car that they can take from one side of the city to the other. So having a walking path or that biking path so you don't have to bike on the road is really important,” Donaldson said.
Council president Bruce Hawkins asked about grant opportunities.
“With regard to specific grants and funding opportunities, EPA has some opportunities for that, particularly along your riverfront. I'm currently working with the mayor to develop a list of potential grants and opportunities for this,” Teismann said.
In response to Hawkins’ questions about liability, Teismann said that’s always a concern. A fountain was fenced off because children climbed on it. But as long as things are designed reasonably with best practices, generally the liability comes off the city, he said.
