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Greer Residents Share Park Ideas With City Leaders

Posted on: Friday, 16 June 2006, 21:00 CDT

By Jessica L. De Vault, Herald-Journal, Spartanburg, S.C.

Jun. 16--GREER -- A handful of locals told city officials Thursday night that the woodsy plot of land next to the Horace McKown Center, should be transformed into a safe place for picnics and community sporting events.

City leaders recently announced plans to build a city park in conjunction with a new municipal complex -- a project for which the city recently borrowed $12 million. The public was invited to dish their park design ideas to Tom Keith, a landscape architect from Greenville-based Arbor Engineering.

The would-be park is nestled in the middle of a neighborhood and located less than a mile from the city's downtown. Keith said a park with that sort of prominence deserves public input.

"This whole idea of community involvement is buying into that space," Keith said, adding that he alone can't plan the park's future. "(That's) like me trying to guess what they want. "

Most of the residents at Thursday's meeting had similar expectations for the new park: a community swimming pool, picnic tables, interactive water structures, playgrounds and a track for the city's athletes.

An outdoor theater was also taken into consideration.

Ann Cunningham, the city's director parks and recreation, said the forum was just the beginning of the planning process.

"We're just gathering ideas. This whole park is for the city of Greer. We're going to listen and do our best to provide," Cunningham said.

Keith said one woman's concern about the proximity of the picnic tables to the children's area was a good one.

"Those are the subtle things that need to go into a space," Keith said. "Those are very important."

The park's land structure provides an obstacle for Keith and his fellow planners.

"It's not solid space," Keith said. "It's a lot of linkage space. But the suggestions are absolutely feasible.

Keith said the next public meeting would likely be held sometime in July.

"By then we'd put a little meat to the bone and we'll bring it back to the community," Keith said.

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Copyright (c) 2006, Herald-Journal, Spartanburg, S.C.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: Herald-Journal

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