Over the course of July, the Public Services Committee met at each of the 12 parks on the South Side to identify maintenance needs and discuss potential improvements to request. The following is the summary of our findings and requests.

General requests

• Mileage markers on walking paths
• Bike racks at parks that do not have them
  • Properly spaced inverted U style racks are preferred over other types of racks (see ODOT Multimodal Design Guide Section 6.3.9)

Deshler Park

Questions

• Where is the shelter house planned to go?

Maintenance needs

• Graffiti on picnic tables

Requests

• Additional playground equipment/activites for children, such as sensory stations — the playground at Linden Park was given as a good example
• Additional picnic tables and/or 4-top game tables with chess/checker imprint
• Additional benches along the walking path
• More trees planted (not in central green space)

Fairwood Park

Maintenance needs

• Repair damaged fence near entrance of park along Fairwood Avenue

Requests

• Crosswalk with flashing lights on Fairwood Avenue at entrance to park (likely need to coordinate with Department of Public Service)
• Additional portable toilets (at least one near each shelter house)
• Additional dog poop bag stations (there is only one near the entrance of the park)

Karns Park

Maintenance needs

• Shelter support posts have been damaged and are graffitied
• The lone light fixture in the park is frequently damaged (was damaged at time of park visit)

Requests

• Add signage with park rules, shelter reservation information (consider anti-graffiti coating)
• Add additional trash cans that are less likely to be stolen (e.g. plastic trash cans)
• Replace perimeter wooden posts with more substantial fence similar to what is provided at Kobacker Park, Smith Road Park
  • Vehicles are often driven into the park, often from the southern edge and northeastern corner
• Add additional lighting
• Coordinate with police department to potentially add police camera

If the above issues can be addressed

• Consider adding an second shelter house, as the current shelter is in high demand
• Add additional picnic tables near trees that will eventually provide shade as they grow
• Plant additional trees around the perimeter of the park

Kobacker Park

Maintenance needs

• Remove hand sanitizer station (not maintained)

Requests

• Add 4-top game tables with chess/checker imprint
• Add dog poop bag station

Martin Park

Maintenance needs

• Remove hand sanitizer station (not maintained)
• Weeds in playground
• Improve mowing and trash removal frequency
  • Adjacent resident indicated maintenance of the park has declined over the past two years, and overflowing trash cans and tall grass can be an issue at times
• Adjacent vacant lot is often overgrown (likely need to coordinate with code enforcement)

Requests

• Relocate park sign for better street visibility (currently blocked by trees)

Lincoln Park

Questions

• What are the planned improvements? Visuals would be helpful
• Is there a plan for the eastern green space (east of the school)? Area appears to be underutilized

Requests

• Add benches and trash cans along walking path
• Add picnic tables under tree coverage near the basketball court

Millbrook Park

Maintenance needs

• There are overgrown weeds and downed branches along the rear fencelines of the park that need to be cleared
• Concrete sidewalk in the park is in need of repair (tripping hazard)

Requests

• Tall fence between basketball court and parking lot
• Potentially a grill near the picnic tables
• Potentially an additional light in the park (potentially on the wood pole by the basketball court)

Smith Road Park

Maintenance needs

• Parts of the asphalt walking path are in need of repair
• Parking area along Innis Avenue is rutted with standing water (likely need to coordinate with Department of Public Service)

Requests

• Additional activities/equipment for children
• Portable toilet is desired

Moeller Park

Maintenance needs

• Replenish mulch in playground
• Replace missing trash can on north side of park (near intersection of Hanford Street and Bruck Street)
• Plant new tree to replace large tree that fell

Requests

• Add more playground equipment for small children (e.g. teeter-totter, additional toddler swings)
  • Fire truck structure was popular with small children and was never replaced
• Additional picnic tables under tree coverage
• Small shelter with electricity is desired

Southeast Lions Park

Maintenance needs

• Repair damaged fence along 6th Street
• Prune hanging limbs from several trees
• Address lighting issues (lights under the shelter turn on at a set time, but light poles in the park do not)

Requests

• Add tall fencing along the Hinkle Avenue and 6th Street sides of the basketball court to prevent basketballs from going into the street

Other notes

• Wood utility poles have been laying along the south edge of the park for a few months

South Side Heritage Park

Maintenance needs

• Refresh basketball court lines
• Remove/replace 5 dead trees along western perimeter

Requests

• Replace missing bench by basketball court

Southwood Mileusnich Park

Maintenance needs

• Baseball diamonds are in severe disrepair, with standing water

Requests

• Engage community to reimagine park’s use if the baseball fields are obsolete