Kathy Edwards of Sebree and Laurie Wilson of Henderson are chatting on a bench at Audubon Mill Park in Henderson Monday afternoon as barges float down the Ohio River.
Wilson likes the parks — but from where she sits she can see some areas of improvement right on the riverbank, as it drops steeply into the water.
“This needs to be cleaned up," she said. "Maybe it seems like this is a little unsafe for kids, if they want kids down here.”
In 12 months or sooner, the city of Henderson should have their brand new Master Parks Plan completed. it will inform the city of gaps in services, amenities and maintenance.
Assistant City Manager Dylan Ward said the plan will be multifaceted.
“When you think about a parks master plan, a lot of times you think of just physical space. Well, it does a lot more than just that.”
He says better upkeep can be established with a Master plan along with new programs and parks amenities.
Public feedback in part, will steer the development of a master plan. This plan is likely the first in the city’s history.
Last week, the city agreed to hire Brandstetter Carroll to administer the creation of the plan. Ward said it will cost $151,000.
“They'll gather information on their own from our park system, our parks department, they will meet with the community, they'll send out surveys,” he said. “We'll have a steering committee. They'll meet with focus groups. So the work is just now beginning. We just authorized it to begin.”
Brandstetter Carroll will look at all the connectivity in the city from a trails, walking and biking perspective, and look at existing plans.
Ward said once complete, the city of Henderson can focus on any of those gaps they discover.
“It's important to make sure that we're evaluating whether what the community wants in our parks is being met by what our parks offer,” he said, and ensure they’re changing with their demographics.
Ward said it’s about being intentional with their parks and even questioning long-held programs and paradigms.
“What programming do we offer that we've offered for 30 years and we just continue to offer it because we've always offered it? Versus, you know, ‘here's this new programming that a lot of other communities are offering that (we) don't offer. Should (we) start offering that?”
Learn more about Henderson parks here
Here is the city's Request for Qualifications (RFQ)
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