GATE CITY – Town Council and Gate City Frontier members discussed Monday how a new community park concept would fit into the organizations’ future work. Mayor Jamie Lawson joined council members Pat Elliott, Dexter Harman and Michele Rusek and Town Manager Greg Jones at the workshop with Gate City Frontier Executive director Leslie Crawford and members to look at the Gate City Community Park Concept. Drawings prepared by architectural form Spectrum Design show conversion of the parking lot along East Water Street - south of the Jackson Street downtown business district – into a complex with: - basketball court - sheltered pavilion - splashpad - two pickleball courts - park lawn - parking along approximately two-thirds of the lot - pedestrian connection to Jackson Street Lawson said that, while the drawing includes two basketball courts, one of the courts could be turned into a skateboard park to draw skateboarders from using Jackson Street sidewalks.
Town Manager Jones said the proposed complex could also include electric vehicle charging stations that would be operated by a third-party company. Crawford and other Frontier members said they liked the concept, but Crawford said that any GCF participation or cooperation would raise questions whether the group is maintaining its good standing under the Virginia Main Street program. “If we could find a way to link all this together, it would be wonderful,” Crawford said of the concept and GCF-town work on downtown improvements.
“There needs to be a connecting vision,” said GCF member Vicky Roberts. “We need to look like a great town all over.” Lawson said the community park concept is needed to complement Grogan Park.
“We’ve got a beautiful park at Grogan,” said Lawson, “but when it rains, it floods. This is a starting point where we all need to come together.” “At least it’s something,” said GCF member Steve Adkins, “and something leads to something else.
” Asked how long it would take to start the design process, Jones said council could decide at Tuesday’s council meeting if it wanted to proceed with the Spectrum concept and vote to have the firm start design work. Otherwise, he added, council could vote top issue a request for proposals if members decided on another direction for the facility. Lawson said the community park concept could address concerns he has heard from town residents about a lack of activities in Gate City.
The park and coordination with GCF events on Jackson Street could lead to more affordable downtown events that would help finance GCF expenses. “If you have a family of five and go away from here to do something, you’d probably pay 450 or more per person,” said Lawson. “You could have events here and you don’t have to charge an arm and a leg.
” “We’re not taking things away from Jackson Street,” Lawson added. Crawford said GCF and council need to look to a decade in the future to ensure that both organizations are working together. Council and GCF Crawford said GCF needs to receive its annual town allocations in time to plan for fall and winter events.
Council ‘s regular August meeting is Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 156 East Jackson Street.
.
