About 40 Bettendorf residents who attended an open house Tuesdayto peruse suggested plans for the city’s new park were remindedthat none of the three concepts presented were final plans.
“These are very much dart boards,” said Mike Bell of RDGPlanning & Design, the company hired by the city to developplans for the 100-acre Forest Grove Park. “What we’re asking you todo is throw stuff at them.”
Tuesday’s open house was an opportunity for the public toscrutinize and offer input about three concepts for the developmentof the park, said Steve Grimes, the city’s parks and recreationdirector.
The “Active” concept includes three baseball fields, ahandicapped-accessible baseball field called a “Miracle Field,” andan indoor and outdoor aquatic center.
The “Natural” concept is focused more on open greenspace, withrestored prairie and wetland areas and an amphitheater.
The “Agrarian” concept is a blend of the other two, with aMiracle Field, basketball courts and a playground, but alsofeaturing amphitheater, educational areas and communitygardens.
Each of the plans included trails, shelters and a lodge.
Grimes said RDG would take the input gathered Tuesday and createa plan that would likely be a combination of the three concepts.The public will get another chance to view the plans and offerinput before a final plan is put together and submitted for theapproval of the park board and city council, likely later thisspring.
Development of the park is at least a year or two away, and willbe done in phases, Grimes said.
Jenni Weber, who lives near the ground south of Interstate 80and east of Middle Road where the park will be developed, said shefavored the less-intensive development plans for the park.
“It would be nice to keep it as natural as possible,” shesaid.
Pam Kaufman agreed, saying it would be nice if the park were aplace where people could enjoy nature.
“People in our culture are too removed from nature,” shesaid.
Brandon Timper and Chris Sprague, local disc golf players, saidthey thought the park would be an ideal location for a disc golfcourse, which would take advantage of the natural terrain.
Timper said while he thought the Miracle Field should beincluded because it meets a need that is not being met in thecommunity, he didn’t see the need for more baseball diamonds.
“Almost every park in Bettendorf has a diamond,” he said.
Matt George, who also lives near the location of the new park,said he had concerns about whether Forest Grove Road will beimproved before the park is developed and brings more traffic tothe area.
As the father of two small children, George said he favored adevelopment plan that would mix active and passive recreationopportunities.
While he has concerns that signage for the park along I-80 maydraw unwanted visitors off the interstate and into the residentialneighborhood, George said he thinks the park will have a positiveimpact on the neighborhood and the city.
“I see more upside than downside,” he said.
