Master Plan Unveiled For Future Park In Algood

The master plan for Algood’s future park includes areas for a splash pad, amphitheater, community center, and playground.

City Administrator Keith Morrison said those projects won’t happen all at once and will be phased in over time.

“I think the next goal is to have this plan and phasing complete by December or January. As we we move into the first of next year and start budgeting, we can decide how much of next year’s budget we apply to getting an initial phase of the park,” Morrison said. “We can go ahead and get some grant work in the process, so that when we get into the next fiscal year, we’ve got some plans ahead that we can at least start construction and do some initial phases to get this thing off the ground.”

The city spent $760,000 to purchase land for the park two years ago. The property sits at the end of Thompson Lane and Main Street and adjacent to Highway 111.

Algood City Council hired Clinton Engineering and GRW Engineering to conduct the park’s master plan in December 2018. The firms used community ideas from previous public meetings to piece together the preliminary design.

City officials estimated on Monday that it would take up to ten years to complete the entire project. Morrison said the city will rely on community members as it works through each phase of the project.

“As we continue to phase this out, I think it’s going to be very important that the public continues to provide input,” Morrison said. “Because over ten years, this could change a lot.”

The engineering firms unveiled the plan during a public meeting Tuesday night. The preliminary design also included plans for two dog parks, a walking trail, picnic shelters, and an area for a veterans memorial.