Community park decisions still ongoing

There are two things the town's new community park won't have — swings and a large slide.

That decision was made by the Corning Recreation Commission during its meeting on Tuesday, although a recommendation on playground equipment for the new $4.3 million, 18-acre park, wasn't finalized.

The three selections for the equipment are more focused on climbing apparatuses than the traditional swings and slides.

A handful of children and parents showed up at the meeting to throw their vote into the decisionmaking.

"I would really prefer to have playground equipment with swings and slides because that is what my children like. I would have liked to have seen something that was more kid friendly for all ages," said parent Leah Fredrickson, the mother of an infant, 2-year-old and 4-year-old.

City Consultant Blaine Smith said the city is trying to stay away from swings because they take up so much room, and from slides due to the fact they provide a lot of space for vandalism.

"We are really trying to avoid equipment that offers surfaces for vandalism," he explained. "We also want to focus on equipment that keeps the kids as active as possible. The playground equipment we are considering really is the way of the future in community playgrounds."

The commission was able to bring the selection down from three playground equipment providers to two, and asked city staff to contact those two providers for more information on pricing and other details, and return to the next meeting with that information, as they prepare in make a final recommendation decision.

In addition to the playground equipment for phase one of the community park project, the commission is also currently preparing to make recommendations to the city council on the park's gazebo/staging structure, and adult outdoor exercise equipment provided the project's budget allows for such a purchase.

Commission members said they are prepared to make a recommendation decision during their next meeting on March 6. Their recommendations will then be presented to the City Council which will make a final decision.

In addition to the playgrounds, phase one of the park project includes an 18,000 square-foot, lighted skateboard and bicycle park, gazebo/staging structure, walking trails along Jewitt Creek, basketball and handball court, picnic tables and barbecue area, restrooms and parking lot.

Phase two will include a playground area, two lighted soccer fields, snack bar and equipment storage, picnic tables and barbecue areas, restrooms and parking lots. The project may also include solar energy systems for lighting where feasible.

The park is located along Jewitt Creek east of Toomes Avenue and west of Houghton Avenue and north and south of Fig Lane.