Community rolls up sleeves
Samantha Pysher REPORTER
Issue date: 11/18/08 Section: News
A $2 million budget was proposed at a meeting of the Wick Park revitalization project on Saturday.
The budget will include the price of a proposed amphitheater, a state-of-the-art playground, lighting, a dog park, gateway entries into the park, trail restoration, a water feature where kids could play and a new streetscape are a few items, said Jim McKnight, one of the landscape architects for the project.
The park will be making some "green" changes. For example, porous pavement that absorbs moisture is a choice that can be used, McKnight said.
He also said during his presentation that the amphtheater, which would be back dropped by Stambaugh Auditorium, could be built as an earthen basin amphitheater or an amphitheater with seating built into the grounds.
There will also be a trellis and natural paths, McKnight said.
"We want to provide activities for all seasons of the year," he said. "The next step is to find sources of funding."
At the meeting, two alternative landscape designs were also presented. The main difference is vehicle parking location.
Some short-term goals that were discussed at the meeting are an increased amount of signs, clustering of picnic areas and multipurpose walkways. Long-term goals include gateway entries and accessible playground equipment.
"We're building on the beautiful assets of this park," said Sharon Letson, executive director of Youngstown CityScape.
"The important part of the process is that the community is involved and they're not sitting back waiting for someone to do something about the park," said Letson. "They're willing to roll up their sleeves to help."
Letson said the Wick Park revitalization project has been in the works for six months and that money has already been invested with some trees.
Both designs that were presented included an amphitheater in the southwest corner with crosswalks. In the southeast corner, there would be a path from Youngstown State University to Wick Park and a path connecting Park Vista Senior Housing and Wick Park in the northwest corner.
"We'd like to be able to merge the two designs into one," said Terry Schwarz of Urban Design Center of Northeast Ohio.
Schwarz said the overall plan should be in place by the beginning of 2009 and more implementation of the project by spring.
"It's a great opportunity for students to get involved and use the park," said junior Jack Daughter.
spysher@thejambar.com
The budget will include the price of a proposed amphitheater, a state-of-the-art playground, lighting, a dog park, gateway entries into the park, trail restoration, a water feature where kids could play and a new streetscape are a few items, said Jim McKnight, one of the landscape architects for the project.
The park will be making some "green" changes. For example, porous pavement that absorbs moisture is a choice that can be used, McKnight said.
He also said during his presentation that the amphtheater, which would be back dropped by Stambaugh Auditorium, could be built as an earthen basin amphitheater or an amphitheater with seating built into the grounds.
There will also be a trellis and natural paths, McKnight said.
"We want to provide activities for all seasons of the year," he said. "The next step is to find sources of funding."
At the meeting, two alternative landscape designs were also presented. The main difference is vehicle parking location.
Some short-term goals that were discussed at the meeting are an increased amount of signs, clustering of picnic areas and multipurpose walkways. Long-term goals include gateway entries and accessible playground equipment.
"We're building on the beautiful assets of this park," said Sharon Letson, executive director of Youngstown CityScape.
"The important part of the process is that the community is involved and they're not sitting back waiting for someone to do something about the park," said Letson. "They're willing to roll up their sleeves to help."
Letson said the Wick Park revitalization project has been in the works for six months and that money has already been invested with some trees.
Both designs that were presented included an amphitheater in the southwest corner with crosswalks. In the southeast corner, there would be a path from Youngstown State University to Wick Park and a path connecting Park Vista Senior Housing and Wick Park in the northwest corner.
"We'd like to be able to merge the two designs into one," said Terry Schwarz of Urban Design Center of Northeast Ohio.
Schwarz said the overall plan should be in place by the beginning of 2009 and more implementation of the project by spring.
"It's a great opportunity for students to get involved and use the park," said junior Jack Daughter.
spysher@thejambar.com
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