Macomb City Administrator Scott Coker called Chandler Park “a historic, much used and loved park” in a memo to the city council.
He said to properly manage the park for the next 50 years, it’s important to complete a good master plan, and this week the city council approved the first step in that process.
Council members voted to hire Farnsworth Group to create the master plan.
Public Works Director Alice Ohrtmann told council members that plenty of grant money is available for improving parks.
“But in order to get that funding, you have to have a master plan completed. And so, now is the time to get moving on that,” she said.
Ohrtmann said part of the goal is to make the park more pedestrian friendly and ADA accessible.
The city budgeted $25,000 for this fiscal year and next for the master plan.
Nine companies submitted bids. Farnsworth’s bid is for $48,260 plus normal reimbursable expenses.
The firm’s proposal includes gathering input through a public meeting and an online survey.
Farnworth could present their master plan for the park late this summer.
The city council approved hiring Farnsworth on a 4-3 vote, with Dave Dorsett, Don Wynn, and Dennis Moon opposed.
Dorsett felt like the matter should have gone through the council’s committee of the whole before coming up for a vote.
“I’ve been in favor of a plan of this nature for many years. Unfortunately, because it did bypass the regular committee structure, I’ll be voting against it,” Dorsett said.
Chandler Park is the city’s most visible park, located where Route 136 and 67 intersect downtown.
The park is where the Flags of Love are displayed and the annual Heritage Days festival is held.
Many more events are held there too, and it’s used daily by the general public.
Tri States Public Radio produced this story. TSPR relies on financial support from our readers and listeners in order to provide coverage of the issues that matter to west central Illinois, southeast Iowa, and northeast Missouri. As someone who values the content created by TSPR's news department please consider making a financial contribution.
