The ideas came from Danville Parks and Recreation’s efforts to upgrade the city’s neighborhood parks over several years.
During Danville City Council’s meeting Tuesday night, parks and recreation officials revealed renderings of resident-proposed new amenities at Coates, Doyle Thomas and Pumpkin Creek parks.
“These renderings of parks are a big step toward implementing improvements as part of a city-wide focus on enhancing community spaces and meeting needs identified by residents,” parks and recreation spokesperson Brittney Ham said in a news release Thursday.
Community members living around the three parks met over the last year discuss and decide how to improve their parks. Officials with parks and recreation plan to follow up with residents about their proposed enhancements.
“Sharing park renderings, cost estimates and next steps in the implementation processes are the main motives of the upcoming meetings,” Ham wrote in the news release. “Danville Parks and Recreation will also discuss areas of the park where communities are still deciding how to further represent their history and culture in various parts of the park design.”
Coates Playground & Park is located at 1725 Westover Drive next to Coates Recreation Center. The property once contained Coates Elementary School.
Proposed park features include a skate park, basketball court, new picnic shelter, hill side, new large playground, new bike pump rack and new fitness stations,.
Doyle Thomas Park is located at 827 Green St. A splash pad is planned for the 4-acre park as well. It has a basketball court, playground and picnic tables.
Residents have proposed new swings, sidewalks, basketball court renovations, event lawn, bike racks, picnic shelters and other improvements at Doyle Thomas Park.
Pumpkin Creek Park is at 315 Taylor Drive and features a baseball/softball field, basketball courts, picnic shelter and playground.
New wildflower gardens, outdoor classroom, new art, swing set, paved game space, new large shelter and amphitheater and other items are proposed by residents for Pumpkin Creek Park.
“The designs reflect the community’s desire to be together and use these spaces,” Danville Parks and Recreation Director Bill Sgrinia told Danville City Council just before facilities and services planner Stephanie Lovely gave the presentation.
The city has a total of 32 park properties, Lovely told the Danville Register & Bee on Thursday.
“We are in the process of addressing neighborhood parks,” Lovely said. “The current plan is to address three neighborhood parks at a time for the next several years until all are complete.”
Coates, Doyle Thomas and Pumpkin Creek are the first three parks to go through the process. Resident planning for the next three parks, Camilla Williams Park, Camp Grove Park and Cedar Brook Park, will begin Jan. 18.
“Investing in quality of life for our residents is a priority,” Lovely said when asked why the city was working to revamp its parks. “The parks need improvements. We are responding to needs we’ve heard from residents.”
The parks and recreation department wants to support communities with city parks every way it can, she added.
“These goals fit in well with city-wide goals of improving quality of life and other community efforts to reach residents with healthy-living resources,” Lovely said.
After the public meetings are held on the three parks, the projects will be submitted to the parks and rec budget for approval, she said. They will then be put out for bids, contracted and then moved to construction.
Once each project is complete, “we’ll continue to work with residents as they plan events and add other personal touches,” Lovely said.
As for the public meetings, one will be held for the Doyle Thomas Park project from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Jan. 10 at the PEACE Center at the park on Green Street.
The meeting for Coates Park will be held from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Jan. 12 at Coates Recreation Center.
As for Pumpkin Creek, its meeting will take place from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 6 at the Southside Learning and Community Center.
For more information, contact Lovely at stephanie.lovely@danvilleva.gov or at 434-799-5200.