Washington Park Meeting Summaries

1998 Meeting Summaries

Working Committee Meeting Summaries
The working committee is comprised of citizens, staff, and design team members. The committee meets on a monthly basis to discuss a variety of issues related to the design and renovation of the park. The committee assists with networking with the neighborhoods and preparing for community meetings.

Gregg Bleam explains possible park designs at a
Working Committee meeting.

The working design by Landscape Architect Gregg Bleam lays out a "green entryway" into Washington Park. As people approach the park on Preston Avenue from downtown, the view of asphalt and a playground will be replaced by a green lawn surrounded by oak trees. The plan calls for the current grove of old white oaks to be supplemented by a new planting of young trees. The "Barn" (the name many are using to denote the new recreation building) will be set on a slight rise behind the lawn. A covered porch will be connected to the "Barn" and will allow an unimpeded view of the play area on the park’s knoll. The design and placement of the structure creates an amphitheater from which community events can staged.

Jeff Dreyfus of Bushman/Dreyfus Architects is in the process of refining the designs for the new recreation building. The Working Committee and Recreation staff wanted the following amenities in the new recreation building: a community meeting room capable of seating approximately 100 people and which can be divided into two separate areas, a small kitchenette, a storage area, a janitorial closet, an office with views to the play area, and a bathroom capable of servicing the public when the building is either open or closed. Due to the desired amenities, the design of the proposed recreation building is slightly larger than first proposed which has created a problem with its placement. The Working Committee expressed a desire to keep the building as a long barn-like structure per the conceptual designs as well as a desire to have the building become a part of the landscape, not dominating the park.

The proposed park design calls for the lower level of the park to have a new parking lot and a basketball court. As of this date, it has not been decided what other uses the space on the bottom level will accommodate. Some possibilities are open spaces, a second playground, a multi-purpose field, a softball field, and a little league field. The preliminary statement of probable costs for the park's basic components is over $705,000. This amount does not include money for the concrete paths and steps connecting all areas of the park, a proposed play area on the park's lower level, picnic tables and benches, nor funds for the plant material needed to rejuvenate the park's landscaping.

Topics and ideas covered by the Working Committee:

Recreation Building: The general consensus was to locate the recreation center away from the pool complex and closer to "the grove," because of concerns about noise. Members also expressed a desire to increase building space to facilitate local community meetings and other functions.
Play Areas: There was a strong desire to have the playground area close to the recreation center. Some committee members expressed safety concerns over locating the playground close to the streets. Working committee members also suggested a second playground area on the lower level of the park. Two play areas would integrate both levels of the park for use by local youth and alleviate pressure on the upper level of the park.
Landscape: Committee expressed a desire to preserve older trees and grove area.
Basketball Courts: Two concerns were voiced about locating the basketball courts in the "bottom" area of the park -- the appropriateness of locating courts away from the recreation center and the safety of children walking to the courts.
Handicap accessibility: Concern was voiced about access to the lower terrace and the proposed recreation building on the upper level.
Pool: Concern was voiced regarding the installation of only a basic pool design at this time. Further discussion of potential pool amenities will be on the agenda for upcoming meetings.
Park Lighting: The design team will consult with the local police to discuss security issues regarding lighting on pathways. The design team recommends a balance of lighting to address security issues with neighborhood concerns of over lighting.
Cultural/Social Activities: The committee discussed relating design of central building and landscape to community activities.
Community Fundraising: Some members proposed community fund raising to help cover the costs of possible plant materials, playground equipment and pool amenities.

Urban Design Committee

Percent for Art: The Urban Design Committee Explains Their Purpose

Some members of the Urban Design Committee attended a Washington Park working committee meeting to discuss how the Percent for Art program could have a positive impact on the park's redevelopment. The program was started in the 1980's and mandates that 1% of a capital improvement project's budget be used to acquire a piece of art for that project. The mosaics on the north end of City Hall Annex and the commemorative medallions in the Main Street bridge are due to the Percent for Art program.

Bitsy Waters of the Urban Design Committee expressed the desire to solicit input on the design of the art selected for Washington Park from community members who are interested and involved in the park's redevelopment. Community members will help narrow the criteria for the artists' submissions, select a desired medium and possible theme, and decide on the placement of the art work.

Working Committee members expressed many ideas regarding possible art mediums including: commemorative plaques describing the park's unique history, a sculpture, a time capsule, and clay tiles depicting historic park themes designed and created by local children or artists. In order to maintain the integrity of the Percent for Art program citywide, the citizen participating in selecting the appropriate art work for Washington Park will work in close conjunction with the Urban Design Committee.

1998 Washington Park Renovations and Community Involvement

2001 Washington Park Home Page

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