The 118-page document contains myriad possibilities and provides ‘direction’
The Henderson City Commission got a first look at the Parks Master Plan, an ambitious document with myriad possibilities for the Parks, Recreation, and Cemeteries Department.
The draft presented Tuesday afternoon in a work session is just that—a draft—and will be finalized most likely at a March city commission meeting subject to comments that commissioners submit to City Manager Dylan Ward.
Beyond that, the numerous proposals within the document are only possibilities at this point and would be subject to the desires of future commissions, if they are even pursued at all.
Ward said the draft is a “living, breathing document”—which could change. He compared it to the previous City of Henderson Vision Plan that created a roadmap for many projects that have been pursued since that vision plan was created by residents and city officials in 2015.
Ward said that in ten years’ time, he expects to look back on this document and see many projects completed, some completed but in a different format than currently presented and some that weren’t pursued at all.
One important point, the city manager said, is that the plan offers a starting point from which to work from.
“This gives us direction,” he said.
John Bucher, a senior planner for the company the city hired to create the master plan, Brandstetter Carroll, highlighted numerous possibilities that should have recreationists salivating.
Among them were a high ropes course in the south end of Atkinson Park, a new swimming pool that would come from a partnership with the YMCA and located there and a greatly expanded trails system through the city.
“This is a great document,” said Parks Director Thomas Kenney. “We spent hours and hours on this thing.”
In the 118-page document titled “Turning the Page on Parks & Recreation,” Brandstetter Carroll used information gleaned from the community along with information from meetings held with stakeholders to make numerous recommendations for the city to pursue in the next 10 years.
Some of the highlights listed on pages 59-60 of the document include:
- Develop a centrally located nature playground with a splash pad in the Hays Park/Atkinson Park
- Construct an event lawn with a covered stage at Hays Park and add a large picnic pavilion overlooking the river. Bucher said the event lawn will replace old baseball diamonds no longer being used. The Henderson Flash field will remain.
- In the Atkinson Park area closer to Deaconess Hospital, a proposal is to construct an event facility overlooking the Ohio River that can host at least 200 people for weddings and other rental opportunities
- Seek a partnership for a zipline adventure park at Atkinson Park to help make the park a regional attraction
- Add a large pickleball complex in Atkinson Park in the area close to the hospital
- Develop the new Veterans Memorial Park with an amphitheater and memorial plaza. Bucher said the count for lawn attendance for a show at the amphitheater could be 10,000.
- Redevelop Sunset Park with a destination playground, a permanent dock, gathering spaces and a plaza with skate elements. Kenney said the destination park would have different levels—steps—to deal with the slope of the Third Street ramp where the playground would be located. Bucher said “People really want to see something really nice on the riverfront” and added, “We heard a lot about Smothers Park in Owensboro. We think you can do better.” This would also squeeze parking for boaters who launch at the downtown ramp. Bucher said that upgrading Hays Boat Ramp could be done so more boaters would launch there. And later, a tract of land on Borax Drive that the city owns could be developed as another ramp. If Hays and a new ramp are used, then boaters would be more likely to launch at one of those and utilize the downtown dock to tie up and stop in at downtown restaurants during their day on the river.
- Revitalize Community park with soccer pitches, dog park expansion, two sand volleyball courts, which would necessitate getting rid of the sand volleyball court in Atkinson Park, new shelter/restroom building and perimeter trails
- Enhance Newman Park with multipurpose covered courts, upgraded diamond fields and a perimeter trail
- Collectively consider Anthony Brooks Park, the JFK Center and W.C. Handy Park to best serve the community. That could include expanded fitness and programming at the JFK Center and upgrading W.C. Handy Park with basketball courts, permanent bleachers and ADA access, among other options
- Regarding a new pool, Bucher said that YMCA representatives are interested in discussing with the city the possibility of a partnership to bring a new swimming pool to Henderson. Mayor Brad Staton said a partnership would be a good idea to assist in construction and staffing. If that partnership were formed, the pool would be built at the current YMCA campus.
The document also focuses on improved trails and connecting them throughout Henderson. Some of those highlights include:
- Widening the riverwalk to form a multiuse trail from Atkinson Park to Doc Hosbach tennis courts. It would be for both walkers and bicyclists, Bucher said.
- Creating a path that connects Atkinson Park to Audubon State Park
- Extend the Canoe Creek Greenway, which would be following Canoe Creek to a park proposed at city-owned land on Borax Drive
- Connect the JFK Center, W.C. Handy Park and Anthony Brooks Park to Newman Park
- Create a Fourth Street Art Walk that connects from Main Street to Water Street. It would be on the area between the future Rhythm River Distillery and the railroad tracks.
- Add trail loops within parks.
Other goals involve nature and river access. Among those, building kayak and canoe launches and wildlife viewing areas as well as the development of Canoe Creek Park are listed.
The Parks Department should also improve ADA accessibility in its parks, improve programming and events, improve management of parks and its equipment, practice consistent marketing, develop sustainable funding strategies and work to develop partnerships, like what Bucher discussed with a new pool and the YMCA.
Led by the Brandstetter Carroll team, the document took more than a year to write. It started with the consultants investigating the community to determine what currently exists, Bucher said.
Then, Brandstetter Carroll reached out to residents in several different modes, among them surveys, a visit to Henderson County High School and a booth at the Tri-Fest, Bucher said.
Consultants also interviewed more than 30 stakeholder groups that included sports groups/leagues, government officials/agencies and community organizations.
According to the data, the highest priority facilities for investment were:
- Playgrounds (43%)
- Trails (39%)
- Nature areas/nature parks (39%)
- Picnic shelters/picnic areas (38%)
- Riverwalk (31%)
The highest priority programs for investment were:
- Festivals, fairs or community events (52%)
- Concerts and performances (39%)
- Adult fitness and wellness (28%)
- Outdoor movies (27%)
- Nature programs (25%)
