During a Monday work session Brandstetter Carroll Inc. presented trustees examples of amenities that could be worked into the playground design as well as parking and trail configurations for both sides of the park.
The company’s early designs were based on a survey that showed the Top 3 amenities that residents wanted in their parks – trails/walking paths, playground, and pickleball courts.
Trustees agreed to add the pickleball courts on the park’s east side along with an additional 55 parking spots. There are now 16 spots.
In earlier discussions, the pickleball courts were slated for the park’s west side but several nearby residents raised concerns about the noise of the courts.
There will be two rows of four courts in each row with a pavilion area between and a walking path. There will be fencing between the courts, shade added, and some wind screens.
Putting the pickleball courts on the park’s east side addresses earlier concerns nearby residents raised about noise from the courts. It also allows for more space for the playground on the west side.
“The east side of the development is generally in its final concept form,’’ said Lisa Brown, township administrator.
“There will be some design that still needs to be done, but based on the renderings, we kind of know where that’s going to go.”
That work is slated to be complete sometime in the fall.
On the park’s west side, an all-inclusive playground will be built; restrooms renovated and expanded with the addition of two, family restrooms; and more trails added.
Trustees brought up the possibility of adding space for one or two food trucks for special events, quiet places, picnic tables, a zip line, benches, and spread-out shaded seating.
Trustee Amanda Ortiz also suggested including elements that parents would enjoy with their children along with non-traditional play elements such as Ninja themed – “something a little more different.
“(The elements) would be more for kids but the adults could still play with them,” Ortiz said.
Next steps include a more detailed concept plan for the park’s west side that incorporates trustees’ comments and elements for the playground and costs for items.
“While we do have several very pretty pictures of what the space could look like, the final design is definitely not going to look like what the current layout or amenities are,” Brown said.
“We still need to pick particular amenities and features for the playground. We still need to figure out the final design for the parking lot and we need to determine the flow through the space and how much shade and shelter and seating we’re going to be providing.”
Operational costs related to maintenance and staffing will be calculated and presented based on a more detailed design for the park’s west side.
“So while we have a very good preliminary concept, it is just preliminary at this point,” Brown said.
“The public can count on the design changing substantially between now and the final design that is included in the bid packet when we go to construction.”
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