By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
After years of “tremendous growth,” Bowling Green Parks and Recreation is now shifting its focus to maintaining its parks and programs.
So the key words for the next five years will be partnering, fundraising and roofs, according to Kristin Otley, parks and recreation director. Not exactly exciting – but very necessary.
“Our focus needs to be maintaining what we have,” Otley said.
But while the park acreage isn’t expected to grow, there are a few plans to expand opportunities for play. And in many cases, those plans involve the city partnering with other groups to offer new recreational opportunities.
In Carter Park, plans call for an inclusive playground to be built through a partnership with Wood County Play. Outdoor pickleball courts are planned with the help of pickleball enthusiasts, and upgrades to the disc golf course are planned by partnering with a disc golf organization.
“Carter Park is definitely going to be getting some love in the next few years,” Otley said.
Otley presented the BG Parks & Recreation five-year master plan to the board Tuesday evening. The five-year master plan was created using citizen input from four community focus group meetings, and a recreational needs survey conducted earlier this year.
City Park will also see some changes, with a walking/running path being paved around the park, and some horseshoe pits being switched over to cornhole sets.
In response to growing vandalism, the plans also call for more security cameras in the parks and timed locks to the restrooms.
Otley also talked about requests from the community that the parks just can’t provide in the next five years.
Top on the list is an indoor swimming pool.
“It’s not something that’s feasible at this point in time,” Otley said.
Ranking right below that is a dog park. Otley pointed out that a dog park already exists in the city, located next to the Wood County Dog Shelter, off East Gypsy Lane Road. She suggested that perhaps the city needs to do a better job of making people aware of that facility.
Bowling Green City Council member Bill Herald asked that the park and recreation board consider the creation of another more centrally located dog park in the future.
“There’s a whole lot of dogs in Bowling Green,” Herald said. “I think it would be warmly embraced by dog owners and dogs alike.”
Parks and Recreation Board President Jodi Anderson voiced support for the emphasis on maintenance – which will ultimately result in longer lifespans for park facilities. She also praised the enhanced focus on partnering with other organizations on park projects.
Following are some of the proposals in the five-year master plan that will go before the city planning commission in January.
Plans at existing parks
BG Athletic Fields behind community center:
- Continue to expand and enhance the outdoor obstacle course while maintaining the native areas included in that section.
- Add storage shed for obstacle course equipment and maintenance equipment.
- Add shade structures.
Bellard Park:
- Maintain as is.
Black Swamp Preserve:
- Work with the joint owner, Wood County Park District.
Carter Park:
- Continue to manage the established natural area.
- Replace both playgrounds with an inclusive playground, partnering with Wood County Plays. The city’s budget for next year has penciled in $100,000 toward the new playground.
- Hub building/garage/park restroom LED lighting upgrades.
- Pave hub building axis drives and entire parking lot.
- Softball field fencing repairs/replacement.
- Build four outdoor pickleball courts at front of the park near the water tower. Fundraising for this will be done in partnership with a group of pickleball enthusiasts and the support of park foundation.
- Disc golf course upgrades to increase the challenge level of some holes, partnering with GAS Disc Golf and Visit BG.
City Park:
- New roofs on Stone Shelter, Needle Hall, Kiwanis Shelter, maintenance building, rink and east restrooms.
- New patio at Stone Shelter.
- Pave loop and parking lots.
- Add paved walking trail around the loop.
- Backflow installation.
- Wall refurbishment.
- Horseshoe area reconfigured, leaving one or two pits and adding concrete cornhole sets and other newer outdoor game features.
- Maintenance garage expansion/roof replacement/office upgrades/salt storage area.
- Add permanent benches to Needle Hall stage area.
- Add shade structures at Eli Joyce Ball Diamond.
- Add shade structure by skatepark.
Conneaut/Haskins Park:
- Maintain as is.
Dunbridge Soccer Fields:
- Change irrigation system to domestic water supply/abandon well.
Raney Playground:
- Maintain as is.
Ridge Park:
- Replace concrete entry leading to sidewalk/add handicap parking spaces.
- New storm sewer tap when the current line running through park is abandoned.
Simpson Garden Park:
- Two art sculptures are in the works to be added when complete.
- This park will have its own master plan updated. Gardens are ever changing. It’s anticipated that several of the gardens will need to undergo a change in design/refresh.
- Potentially add third bay to storage facility.
- Continue paving trails.
Wintergarden/St. John’s Nature Preserve:
- Replace HVAC in Rotary Nature Center.
- Nature room/office remodel/improvements (insulation, drywall/paint, carpet tiles.)
- New property development – trails, overlook, benches and rustic shelter.
- Feasibility study on small wetland area in new acreage.
- Native plantings project in front section of the park (started in 2021 and should be completed by 2024.)
- Additional parking area either on the new acreage or additional row of angled paved parking down entrance road.
- Updates to Sader garage (siding, gutters, garage doors, electric.)
- Continue to follow the parks ecological restoration plan.
System wide:
- ADA issues continue to be addressed at all parks.
- New entry signs at all parks – the recycled lumber signs are faded.
- Begin adding and upgrading security cameras.
- Convert all outdoor restrooms to timed locks so they can be secured when parks are closed.
- Work with city arborist to maintain trees in the parks.
Plans for park and recreation programs call for keeping up with fitness trends, development of family recreational events, reaching out to wider demographic groups, and partnering with local athletic programs.
Plans for park facilities
All facilities:
- ADA issues
- LED lighting upgrades
- Continually review rental policies and prices.
Trails:
- Help to connect parks via trails throughout the city (walking and biking).
City Pool & Waterpark:
- Speed slide – this will more than likely be obtained through sponsorships and fundraising. As this facility enters its 10th year, it would be advantageous to add a new component to keep numbers and revenues up.
- Replace pool VGB drain covers.
- Replace sand filter media.
- Pool pumps/motors refurbishment.
- Replace diving boards.
- Refinish zero depth swing post/cover.
- Replace shade umbrellas.
Community Center (some costs will be split with building partners, the state and Wood County Board of Developmental Disabilities):
- Plan for replacement or renewal of roof, HVAC, electrical, windows and doors, plumbing, masonry, paving, and interior painting.
- Parking lot island cut throughs.
- Replace break room counters.
- Replace fitness flooring.
- Reconfigure front desk area/partitions/back counter.
- Continue conversion of KKC to game/party room.
Simpson Building:
- Replace office/banquet room windows.
- Update hallway, replace paneling, remove popcorn ceiling.
- Backflow installation.
- Replace meeting room countertops/sink.
Veterans Building:
- Office furniture and computer in small office.
- Condenser fencing/RHU floor drain.
- Sound engineer analysis of atrium, and follow recommendations.
