Cape looking at upgrades for popular park, recreational trail

Capaha Park and the Cape LaCroix Recreational Trail are two of the most popular spots in Cape Girardeau, enjoyed by thousands of outdoor enthusiasts each year, Troy Vaughn says.

That's why the chairman of the city's Parks and Recreation Advisory Board says that planned upgrades in the works for each facility need to be done right.

"They are probably the two of the highest profile and highest used," said Vaughn, who also is Southeast Missouri State University's recreation director. "So it's very important that these things are done well."

Vaughn said he believes the right team is in place to ensure that will happen, including parks director Julia Thompson and her staff. Also in the mix are two St. Louis firms that were hired in January to provide planning, engineering and landscaping design services for the two major projects. In January, the Cape Girardeau City Council authorized five-year general services contracts to Planning Design Studio and SWT Design Inc. to, among other things, make improvement recommendations.

D.J. Cowart and his sister, Jayde Cowart, play on the old Dinky locomotive Wednesday at Capaha Park. The grassy area behind them was the site of the old swimming pool. (Fred Lynch)

In the months since, Planning Design Studio has been studying the 4.42-mile Cape LaCroix Trail, which winds from Route W near South Kingshighway to Shawnee Park. On Tuesday, company co-founder Andrew Franke said they have been working on preliminary recommendations to submit to the city for review.

So far, the firm has done an inventory of the trail and talked to trail users in focus groups. A trail user count is also going to take place, he said, in conjunction with Southeast Missouri State University. Franke expects a full report to be finished by September or October.

"Generally, it's just a tremendous asset to the community," Franke said. "But there are still some potential areas that might need improvements over the years."

The width of the trail seems to be the No. 1 issue, according to the company's findings that suggest it should be wider than its six to eight feet. Areas around bridges also may need some railings. Sharp curves impede sightlines for trail users, Franke said. Some possible suggestions, he said, include ways to make those areas safer so people can see approaching trail users. Security phones also may be a good idea, Franke said.

"The trail is so well loved that it's crowded, basically," Franke said. "Sometimes the trail isn't even wide enough to accommodate all that traffic."

Jim Walterman of SWT Design did not return phone calls seeking comment about the planning related to Capaha Park, which took a hit when the municipal pool there closed. But at the park board's May meeting, Carrie Coyne and Jay Wohlschlaeger from the landscape architecture firm told members that they had inspected the 40-acre park and taken photos.

Coyne, the project manager, and Wohlschlaeger gave a presentation to the board that showed design elements that could be incorporated into Capaha, the city's oldest park that sits in the center of the city. The two discussed creative play, branding, sustainable design and funding strategies. One idea repeatedly mentioned -- though by no means decided -- is a splash pad to go into the spot formerly occupied by the pool.

Thompson said she expects to update the council about the firms' progress in July and formal recommendations should be ready by October. She said the strengths of the trail are obvious -- it is well used and connects major parks for walkers and bicyclists. The deficiencies, she said, are just as obvious -- it's undersized and narrow. A typical trail is 10 to 12 feet wide.

"It's a little bit challenging at times with people going both directions," Thompson said.

As far as Capaha Park goes, she said she has no preconceived notions about what the completed project should look like. She asked the advisory board and parks staff members to survey the park, delineating the park's strengths and weaknesses.

Money to pay for those projects would come from the half-cent parks and storm-water sales tax that was approved by voters in April 2008. The department hasn't used much of the money from the tax in the last couple years. The tax generates $4.7 million annually. About 25 percent of the tax is a permanent tax and three-fourths is set to expire in 2018, according to city finance director John Richbourg. Over the life of the tax, it will generate $35.3 million -- of which only $3 million will be allocated toward storm-water projects.

Vaughn cautioned that, still, don't expect to see improvements begin popping up immediately.

"This isn't going to happen overnight," Vaughn said. "This is a process that is going to take years to come to fruition. This is basically just the start."

smoyers@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

Capaha Park, Cape Girardeau, MO

Cape LaCroix Trail, Cape Girardeau, MO