By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
The five-year master plan for the Bowling Green Parks and Recreation is not “sexy.” But what it lacks in sex appeal, it makes up for in substance. Much of the plan focuses on maintaining the current parks – paving parking lots and fixing roofs. Nothing too flashy.
Woody Woodward, executive director of the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association, complimented the park and rec board Tuesday evening for its new plan.
“It matters. It helps set a course for you for the next five years,” Woodward said. He disagreed with the description that the plan lacked pizzazz. In fact, the plan has a quality that several communities neglect.
“This plan gives you some time to breathe,” and take care of what the city already has, he said. “We spend so much time thinking what the next thing is, that we forget to take care of what the last thing was.”
“It ensures that this community has the facilities necessary to make lives better,” Woodward said.
The master plan was completed after a series of public forums was held earlier this year to collect community input on the parks. The forums were led by Shannon Orr, political science professor at Bowling Green State University.
Orr said she has led forums many times in the past, but encountered something unusual at the park and rec meetings. “I’ve never run a forum where people were so enthusiastic and positive,” she said. The participants praised the friendliness of the park staff, variety of programs, reasonable prices, and clean facilities.
“I hope you appreciate how unusual that is,” Orr said. “What really came out of these forums is how the community feels about parks and rec.”
The forums covered youth programs, nature parks, garden parks, active parks, fitness and aquatics. Three items repeatedly asked for by residents were an indoor pool, a walkway to the community center, and more activities for ages 12 to 16.
Park and Recreation Director Kristin Otley presented the five-year master plan, explaining it is a “living, breathing, fluid document.”
The goal is to “focus on maintaining and taking care of our parks, programs and facilities, while being aware and open to new opportunities.”
The plan identifies needs at the 11 parks, at all the buildings, and with the programs. Not all of the improvements will come out of the budget, since there may be opportunities to access funds elsewhere or to get donations, Otley said.
Some of the bigger, more visible projects include a renovated or new Veterans Building in City Park, a completed trail from the community center to the middle-high school complex, and a speed slide at the aquatics center. The slide would help “keep things exciting to keep the numbers up,” at the pool, Otley said.
ADA issues will continue to be addressed in all the parks and facilities. Lighting upgrades will be made where necessary, and rental policies will be reviewed. Efforts will be made to upgrade online registration, create a land acquisition policy, and create a book of donation opportunities.
Following are the plans for each of the city’s parks:
BG Athletic Fields next to the community center:
- Open the four acres of game fields.
- Work on building an outdoor obstacle course on four acres on the far east end.
- Level and seed remaining 10 acres for open field play and practice.
- Add storage building with restrooms, and classroom space for outdoor fitness classes.
Bellard Park: maintain as is.
Black Swamp Preserve: work with joint owner, Wood County Park District.
Carter Park:
- Work with arborist to plant more trees along disc golf course.
- Continue to manage natural area and improve educational signage.
- Replace the playground designed for 5- to 12-year-olds.
- Potentially remove the A-frame shelter houses and replace with one large modern shelter house.
Needle Hall in City Park.
City Park:
- Replace roofs on Stone Shelter, Needle Hall, Kiwanis Shelter, Kiwanis Memorial Shelter and maintenance building.
- Either renovate or demolish and rebuild the Veterans Building.
- Girl Scout Building will need renovations or to be taken down and incorporated into the Veterans Building.
- Fix the outer wall, which was a WPA project.
- Fix or demolish the inner stone wall. The estimated cost may make it too expensive to repair.
- Redesign the front entrance and revamp some gardens.
Conneaut/Haskins Park: maintain as is.
Dunbridge Soccer Fields: maintain as is.
Raney Playground: maintain as is.
Ridge Park:
- Level and reseed open play area on the back of the property.
- Get one or two picnic benches donated.
Simpson Garden Park:
- All garden areas have now been added.
- Add third bay to storage facility.
- Continue paving trails.
Wintergarden/St. John’s Nature Preserve:
- Phase One of Building on Nature Campaign was completed.
- Phase Two, to remodel the interior of the Rotary Nature Center, will begin in late 2016 or early 2017.
Some of the program additions or changes include:
- More older adult programming.
- Outdoor obstacle course.
- More outdoor fitness classes.
- Family fitness classes
- Running or walking clubs.
- Food related classes.
- Expand birthday party package offerings.
- More outdoor adventure program.
Trails:
- Help connect parks via trails throughout the city.
- Partner with Wood County Hospital for fitness trail connecting parks, with outdoor fitness equipment.
City Pool and Waterpark:
- Splash pad to add creatures when possible.
- Speed slide.
Community Center:
- Several building repairs, since the center is now 12 years old.
- Replace final round of cardio equipment.
- Put in gravel roadway behind building to be used as walkway to athletic fields.
Simpson Building:
- New roof, HVAC and lighting.
- Pave parking lot.
“You guys did a fantastic job putting this together,” said Jeff Crawford, chair of the park and rec board. “I’m proud to be a part of this group.”
Mayor Dick Edwards also complimented the planning effort.
“I really want to commend the five-year process,” he said, noting how the plans reinforce the importance of the upcoming levy. “That’s our lifeline for the future.”
Otley spoke about the importance of the process.
“I can’t go to the grocery store without people talking to me about parks,” Otley said. “Every day I get up knowing that we make a difference in people’s lives.”
