St. C. park to produce ‘positive impact’
By KIM LOCCISANO, For The Times LeaderArticle Photos
FEW COMMUNITY leaders have good news to share with residents these days, but the City of St. Clairsville's mayor recently unveiled a plan to transform the longtime home of the county fair into a top quality public park.
"This is a project that will have a direct and very positive impact on the quality of life in and around our community for generations," said St. Clairsville Mayor Robert Vincenzo. "This will be a wonderful addition to our community. As soon as the weather changes enough in the spring, work will get started at the site."
Tapped to move the project from being little more than an abstract concept to an attainable goal is the St. Clairsville based Hays Landscape Architecture Studio, Ltd.
Leading the project team for Hays Landscape Architecture Studio are Gabe Hays and Phillip Cole, both area residents.
Taking an unusual approach to the project's overall completion and the desire of city leaders to make the new resources available to the community as soon as possible, Hays and Cole structured the design so sections of the venue can informally be opened to the public as each is completed.
"When the whole park is finished we will hold a grand opening celebration," noted Vincenzo. "The public has expressed a desire for this type of recreational area and there are those people who will come forward to assist with donations or fund raising."
The "St. Clairsville Central Park" a temporary means of identifying the park project - is presented as being comprised of a "menu of items" contained in one large recreational park, explained Hays and Cole.
The park project -- as presented to council at the mid-December meeting --will require support from across a wide array of funding sources.
"Private sector assistance is key to the ultimate success of a project of this magnitude," said Hays.
Vincenzo announced the unique plan for transformation the longtime site of the county fair during the final regular meeting of city council for 2008 which was held Monday, Dec. 15, 2008.
Vincenzo, Hays and Cole all likened the anticipated positive impact of the "multi-faceted community park" on the community as even exceeding the benefits seen from having an arm of the National Road Bikeway in the city. The city's portion of the national bikeway project has been open to the public for more than a decade, and its popularity continues to grow.
The large park's design includes numerous individual features to appeal to the public in general and to make the resources there as flexible as possible.
The park, referred to initially as "St. Clairsville's Central Park" would be a "means to an end" say project supporters, pointing to expectations that upon completion the entire park will be a revenue generating entity.
Two areas earmarked as first-pick projects -- items to be acted on quickly -- will be the events hall renovation and establishing the community garden, offered Vincenzo.
The community garden, slated to open this spring, is expected to be the initial source of revenue for park components, with the events hall following not long afterward.
Work on the hall renovations are mandated to wait until after the close of the last Belmont County Fair at the site during September of this year, said Hays.
Elements of the park's design as presented include the following:
- A Community Garden - The first project slated to begin this spring will be a fenced-in area with individual plots of land available for residents to rent for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a garden. The area will include a gazebo and raised planting beds, accessible to the handicapped.
- A Dog Park - Dog Parks are very popular among pet owners in larger cities. They are a great social gathering area for pet lovers, being an enclosed area where dogs can safely to run freely as they interact or socialize - with other dogs.
- A Picnic Grove - One picnic grove is planned near the site's main entrance at South Sugar Street. An additional Picnic Area is planned for the eastern side of the park and by design will tie the park together acting as a "book end" with the other picnic area at the entrance. They are designed to be particularly inviting to residents, students or workers from the downtown area who are seeking an outdoor setting where they can quietly enjoy lunch.
- Additional parking will be located off of St. Clair Street.
- An Events Hall - The current 4H building will be renovated to the condition of a banquet hall with a capacity of between 500 and 600 persons.
- Designated Parking - The parking area, now gravel and without markings, will be organized with a specific traffic pattern and designated parking spaces.
- A Pedestrian Pathway - As with the bikeway, the pedestrian path running through the park will be wide enough for emergency vehicles but will be designated for pedestrian traffic only. Ballasts will be installed on either end to prevent vehicle traffic.
- An Amphitheater - The amphitheater is designed to hold approximately 2,500 people on the inner most circle and up to 3,500 when the outer areas surrounding the amphitheater are included. The staging area will be closed in on both ends allowing use for large events and weddings. There will be more shelters and restroom areas here also.
- Large Fountain A focal point of its area, a large fountain is planned. It will be large enough for children to play in during hot summer days.
- A Green Area located past the amphitheater will allow for both play and relaxation.
- A Sports Green is planned for the lower end of the park. This area is intended to have two basketball courts, a roller hockey court and a sand volley ball court. There will be additional parking close to this area for easy access with sports equipment.
"The plan, as presented, is a proposal of what can be done at the site and we've made a point to base everything on the type of services people have long said they would like to see available in St. Clairsville," said Vincenzo. "Much of the overall success of the plan will rest squarely on willingness seen in the private sector to help cover project costs both large and small. We are hopeful people will see the quality of this plan and will be moved to support it."
Tonight's regular meeting of St. Clairsville City Council will be the first time the entity is due to meet since Council-at-large member Ginny Favede's resignation was enacted at midnight on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2008.
Her resignation from the city's post resulted from having been elected to a seat on the Belmont County Board of Commissioners.
Favede was sworn into her new county level duties several days ago in a ceremony involving area residents U.S. District Court Judge Ed Sargus and Belmont County Court of Common Pleas Judge Jennifer Sargus.
Council has a limited amount of time to reach a decision concerning who will step into Favede's at-large council seat to complete her term in office. If council is unable to reach a decision, the duty falls to the mayor.
Tonight's meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. in council chambers on the second floor of the Municipal Building in downtown St. Clairsville.
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01-05-09 3:17 PM
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This sounds like a great chance to better the City of St. Clairsville. We pride ourselves on having a great community and this will add to that. I hope everything works out as planned. Once the football field has turf and an all weather track...going to be a great area in StC!
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