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"This is for youth activities - not for adults," said Schmuke. "We also want to design pavilions for everyone to use. Not just for sports. This will be a full park for everyone."
Zimmermann noted that design work must be completed before any other work can begin.
"We need a firm understanding of what we expect to do with this," he said.
"We will need a lot of site planning. We have to try to have a good understanding of what we want to do and then hire a professional firm to design it.
"What we need before we get started on any of this is a good design," Schmuke agreed.
He asked Zimmermann to talk with local engineering firms to see if one is interested in donating services.
"See if Cochran (engineering firm) wants to help us," Schmuke said. Mayor Mike Livengood added that the design should not be limited to one company.
"I want to stress that there are other engineering firms in the area," he added. "Maybe we can spread it around and give an opportunity to other firms if they want to contribute," said Rost.
Zimmermann added that some firms specialize in recreational facilities. Currette asked if some fields should be designed to accommodate more than one sport.
"It seems silly that some fields will go unused for nine months (of the year)," she said.
Schmuke agreed that some fields, not all, could be used for more than one sport.
"We want to dedicate some fields for just specific sports and the rest can be doubled up on," he said.
Livengood asked if Astro turf could be used at the complex. Rost said that surface is expensive but could be beneficial in fully utilizing the area.
"If we can make a 40-acre park perform like an 80-acre park it might be worth looking at," Rost said.
Park Ground History
The city purchased 44 acres of ground from Klenke Farm, LP, located off Denmark Road south of Highway 50 for sports fields. It will take at least a year to design the sports complex, officials said.
"This is a unique opportunity the city has to develop 44 acres," said Schmuke. "It is something groups have been trying to do for 20 years and finally the city bought the land to do it."
The most recent push for a sports complex that encompasses several sports fields into one area was last year.
In late 2007, the board of aldermen tabled an ordinance to negotiate the cost to purchase land from the Union Development Corporation (UDC) for the complex. Under the proposal, the land would be purchased by the city and developed by the FCYSO.
The FCYSO received criticism from residents of St. Andrews subdivision because the UDC property was near their subdivision. The UDC property was not purchased for a sports complex.
The Klenke Farm owners requested that the property be annexed into the city prior to the city purchasing the property. The city is in the process now of annexing the property into the city limits.
The Klenke Farm was one of several potential sites first considered in June 2007 by the city and FCYSO.
