Jackson master plan: 4 new parks, 5 improved ones

Five existing parks could receive updates and four new ones could be created if city leaders in Jackson figure out how to pay for a first-ever master plan recently created for its parks system.

Parks and recreation director Shane West Anderson said fulfillment of the plan will depend on the city finding ways to fund the elements of the plan, which for now are just ideas.

A six-member committee of Anderson, city administrator Jim Roach, public works director Rodney Bollinger, building and planning superintendent Janet Sanders, electric utilities director Don Schuette and engineer Erica Bogenpohl created the plan during the past year. The plan was presented to the board of aldermen at a meeting earlier this month and is expected to be approved by the board Jan. 21.

Though the plan is "very long-range," Anderson said it holds features for the existing parks and new park possibilities the committee believes will be welcomed by residents.

In the plan, amenities such as a disc golf course would be added to Litz Park, and Brookside Park would receive botanical gardens. Amphitheater-style terraces could be built in the main city park, and a playground would be added to the soccer park.

All around, the existing parks would get new signs, renovated or expanded restrooms and other upgrades such as more parking and playground and pavilion improvements.

Four new parks, as proposed, would be spread throughout the city. The plan calls for a dog park built on High Street near the industrial park and parks added between Kimbeland Country Club and East Jackson Boulevard, the north side of Ridge Road between Stotler Way and Vail Drive and south of the city along Williams Creek.

Trails also would eventually connect the city's parks.

Passage of a quarter-cent sales tax to fund a new community center and upgrades in Jackson's parks in November 2012 was a catalyst to create the plan, but it wasn't the only reason, Anderson said, because only a portion of the city's parks and recreation budget for 2014 -- an estimated $100,000 -- will come from that tax. The majority of the revenue from the tax will go toward the community center, and some will go to maintaining the public pool.

"We've always needed a plan," he said. "It's just that now we are coming closer to being able to start looking at real ways to pay for what could actually come from one."

Though the city's board likely will approve the plan, based on feedback when it was presented, Anderson said, it's not likely any work on upgrades or new parks would begin immediately.

Expenses for parks and recreation in the city are set to outpace revenue this year, with about $348,000 in revenue and about $367,000 in costs. For that reason, city officials will continue to look for ways to find more funding for the parks, such as using program fees and rental charges from anticipated use of the community center, trying to obtain grants and seeking to establish contributions from new business developers.

In looking at the parks budget for 2014, Anderson said, the city is experiencing a "wake-up call."

"We would love to do these things, but we are really going to have to maximize our revenue to get in the black and do any development," he said.

eragan@semissourian.com

388-3627

Pertinent address:

101 Court St., Jackson, MO