The city’s Parks and Recreation committee is planning the new Kenwood/Napoleon Park, and now it wants the community’s input.
The 67-acre site is off the intersection of Napoleon and Kenwood roads, and is currently owned by the park district.
“The park will be positioned west of S. Main Street, south of Sandridge Road, north of Gypsy Lane Road and has the Slippery Elm Trail as its western boundary,” said Michelle Greigor, Parks and Recreation director.
The site of the park and the layout are posted on the website, along with a PowerPoint and a survey where residents can decide what they would like their park to look like and include, Greigor said.
The purpose of the new park, according to the Parks and Recreation website, is to “Preserve, restore and interpret remnants of the Great Black Swamp, in the heart of Bowling Green, to illustrate its significance protecting these historic wetlands to support modern storm water needs and to provide opportunities for those seeking natural beauty, environmental education and passive recreational opportunities.”
The planning process started on June 16 as a basis for the various design alternatives based on the park’s purpose, significance and mission, said Director and Secretary of the Wood County Park District Neil Munger. The final plan will be posted online for people to review as the park is built.
“Currently there are three potential visions for the park’s future, each proposing a different way of managing the park, which is one of the city’s biggest concerns,” he said.
“Once comments are received in written form, the planning team will reconsider the range of alternatives and make modifications and revisions,” he said. “Then a draft of the general management plan will be developed, including an environmental impact statement and cost estimates.”
Greigor said a public meeting is scheduled for Mar. 26, 2011, at the Simpson Building in Simpson Garden Park, located at 1291 Conneaut Road, from 10-11a.m.
“At the meeting we will discuss the preferred alternatives for the park. The city hopes residents can attend and provide Parks and Recreation and development team with feedback,” she said.
Greigor said people can visit the Parks and Recreation website and contact landscape architect James Speck. Residents can fill out a questionnaire about the park and send it to Speck before Dec. 3, and they can give him comments or suggestions about the future of the park.
