Burnidge Cassell Associates has been involved with Freeport Park District, developing master plans for Krape and Read parks. The following articles highlight BCA's involvement with Freeport Park District to improve and expand their park system.

From the Journal Standard online - February 1, 2005
http://www.journalstandard.com/articles/2005/02/01/local_news/news02.txt

Park district zeros in on plans

Officials and residents assess results of fall survey on park use

By Diana Thorn-Roemer, The Journal-Standard

FREEPORT - The results are in.

A recent survey of Freeport residents on park use shows a high percentage of them use Krape and Read parks, validating how money will be spent on park upgrades this fiscal year, park officials said Monday.

Of the 2,000 Freeport residents surveyed on park use in December 2004, 96 percent said they visited Krape Park in the past 12 months, and 72 percent said they visited Read Park, said Freeport Park District Director Jack Carey.

Residents responded to a mailed survey that is being used to assess park use and what those residents said the parks they used the most needed in the way of capital improvements, Carey said.

"Residents' responses are being used to assess park use as well as what they say are the most needed improvements," Carey said.

Ideas include more space to walk, enclosing Krape Park's antique carousel and revamping Read Park's baseball fields, all a part of the development of a new master plan for the city's parks.

Park acreage in Freeport ranks nationally as consistent with, per capita, what is considered good for cities, Carey said. And the ball fields the city can have if they are reconfigured and formalized to allow for tournament use will draw visitors, he said.

At 40-acre Read Park, the Little League bleachers no longer meet consumer safety standards, Carey said.

"When they are upgraded, they'll maybe want a better snack stand and press box, too," he said. Building more and better ball fields could bring tournaments to town that would add to community and park coffers.

Tom Plaster, president of Freeport Little League, said the changes, if made, will benefit the 656 players, and will impact tournament income as well.

He said Freeport Little League has a big marketing campaign to get more players this season.

"We are hoping this year for an increase of 10 percent. That's what the marketing plan calls for. We'll wait and see," Plaster said.

He said the proposed changes - fields will be localized in one area, with backstops butting up against a concession stand, and expanded parking - will definitely be an improvement from what now exists.

"It's consolidating our diamonds together. It will make it a lot easier, not only for kids but parents, to get from one field to another. You will know exactly where you're going to go. Plus, the parking is going to be so much better for us. Right across the street from the park district office, it is very difficult to find a good parking spot. New parking is going to be a big difference," Plaster said.

Plaster said most tournaments will host anywhere from 12 to 16 teams. With fields consolidated and lighted fields, Freeport Little League officials can send fliers throughout Illinois and into Wisconsin and Iowa and bring people in from out of town for a weekend tournament.

"That will bring increased revenue, no doubt about it," Plaster said. "People will come stay all night, and go around town and have dinner. I expect this year alone, Grill House and Cannova's will have extra revenue from what we'll have. And the area motels like Country Inn and Suites, Amerihost and their restaurants will get more people eating and so forth."

He said parents who have players from other states scheduled to play at 8 p.m., then again at 8 a.m. the next day won't have to drive 100 miles and turn around and come back.

"So there will be an impact on the community, no doubt about that," Plaster said.

Another problem that should be resolved is fences, Plaster said.

"That's been a problem in the past. Most tournaments, you gotta have a fence. Two fields - Continental North and South - don't have fences. So it's hard to schedule tournament games on those. It's hard enough during regular season. Some fields don't even have a scoreboard that's working," Plaster said.

The new setup will provide six diamonds when it's done, if approved.

At both Krape and Read parks, one other change may be to the roads that cut through where people like to walk. They may be redrawn somewhat to provide trails for walkers, to keep parents from having to worry about children running through traffic to get to the interior of the park, Carey said.

"We are very concerned about the mix with pedestrians versus cars," Carey said.

Forty people attended a Jan. 19 meeting to discuss survey responses. They helped conceptualize how the parks could look and what their priorities should be, Carey said.

The input is necessary to help park officials determine how funds taken from the $850,000 in bond money available every year to pay for capital improvements will be dedicated to projects like the ones proposed, Carey said.

Input was taken, which allowed the draft of three different options per park in plans that have been drawn up by Elgin-based Burnridge, Cassell and Associates, Carey said.

The parks are completely supported by taxes.

At 120-acre Krape Park, some reconfiguration of parking could create overlooks and add spaces to parking lots. Some lots are planned with "pavers," so grass can continue to grow on the lot, he said. There is still some sensitivity as to what will happen with regards to the carousel at Krape Park, Carey said.

In addition, plans include a foot bridge on the southwest side of the park that would cross Yellow Creek, to connect to foot trails on the Flagstaff area of the park.

Oakdale Nature Preserve, on the city's southern end, is a very popular park, too, with 43 percent of survey respondents saying they went there within the past year.

Today, the district will hold an open house from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at its district offices for public viewing and comments on the options.

The three options hammered out Jan. 19 will be merged down to one, Carey said. And people will get a chance to critique that before it goes to final design.

Carey hopes those who didn't get a chance to come to the meetings can possibly view a draft of the final plans in the newspaper prior to them being finalized.

"I'm hoping we can do that. We want the public to have the opportunity for input," Carey said.

From the Journal Standard online - December 5, 2004
http://www.journalstandard.com/articles/2004/12/05/local_news/news02.txt

Master plan developed to improve Freeport Park District

Survey will be mailed to 2,000 residents for their opinions.

By Diana Thorn-Roemer, The Journal-Standard

FREEPORT -- Every day, Kathy Brokhausen walks through Krape Park. She trots in her white tennis shoes on the asphalt roads, sharing them with other walkers and cars. It doesn't matter if it's cold outside. It's her time to be with nature and she loves the park, she says.

But when she talks with other walkers, they say what she is thinking: A dedicated walking path, one not shared with cars, would be nice.

"Somebody this morning talked about a nice path along the 'crick'... it wouldn't have to be very wide just for walkers. That would be nice," Brokhausen said.

More space to walk, enclosing Krape Park's antique carousel, and revamping Read Park's baseball fields are just a few issues that prompt the director of the Freeport Park District and others to embark on development of a master plan for the city's parks. Park acreage in Freeport ranks nationally as consistent with, per capita, what is considered good for cities, said Park Director Jack Carey.

"A lot of cities would give their eye-teeth to have the parks this city has," Carey said. "And we need to do our part to make things more user friendly in them," he said.

Carey has held meetings with residents, seeking their opinions on what the parks need, and will send a survey to 2,000 scientifically selected households, which should receive the survey next week. Carey said the information from residents - like how often they use the parks and what parts of them they use most, is crucial for allocating

$850,000 in bond money to fund capital improvements, which is done every year. The parks are completely supported by taxes, he said.

Now, in the 120 acres that make up Krape Park, walkers and bikers compete for space next to cars driving up and down paved lanes. Carey thinks people might like walking paths, which could be incorporated into the capital upgrade costs.

Parking needs to be reconfigured at that park, too, he said.

And the 1958 restored carousel, a treat for old and young alike, is an antique and needs better shelter in the winter. He also envisions possibly enclosing it to keep it from deteriorating when not in use.

"The staff is lukewarm on covering it, but we understand the need to preserve it. I'm concerned about it," Carey said.

The survey and opinions of residents will assist Carey in not only determining what is important, but what is most important to residents about their 10 parks in the city, so that money can be parceled out in order of significance. Freeport has a rich tradition in parks, Carey said. He credited Freeport pioneers with embracing the city's open space and leaving

Freeport as one of the best park cities in the nation. The Park District is unique, Carey said. It is its own entity with its own economic development issues apart from the city.

Options include a master planner coming in who will take input from the people, Carey said.

Some park needs revolve around safety factors, he said.

At 40-acre Read Park, the Little League bleachers no longer meet consumer safety standards, Carey said.

"When they are upgraded, they'll maybe want a better snack stand and press box, too," he said. Building more and better ball fields could bring tournaments to town that would add to community and park's coffers.

Safety issues will be recognized and "zeroed in on," Carey said. Improvements over the years have led to a skate park, opened one year ago, at Read Park. And in 2000, upgrades were made to 80-acre Taylor Park, he said. Taylor Park is also awaiting Open Space Land Acquisition and Development funds, which may allow a pond there to be turned into a lake. The lake is an idea, Carey said, because the backside of the park floods when the nearby Pecatonica River overflows.

Carey said he's not even sure how many people use the park on an annual basis, but about 60,000 people rode the carousel last year and 13,500 rounds of mini-golf were played by people at Krape Park over the summer.

Cars are part of the problem when they drive over tree roots to get to parking areas, one reason why parking in several parks needs to be addressed, he said.

Then there are the other "potential" parks in the city where money could go.

Several areas are being examined that could provide niche parks on the city's east side, small plots of land being studied where basketball courts could be constructed. One of those is the old NICOR property where gas used to be produced for the city from coal. NICOR, the owner of the site has offered to lay asphalt down and put up four basketball courts on the half-block site near the intersection of Benton Avenue and Jackson Street.

Carey's positive of one thing: if the proposed visitors center opens on U.S. 20, more out-of-towners will visit the city's parks.

None of that really matters though to people like LaVerne Mensen and his miniature schnauzer, 'Cody.' When he's not working, Mensen said, he and Cody walk the park, when weather permits. Friday, he bundled in winter clothes, and he and the little grey dog were at it.

He said a walking path, and maybe some more parking, would be nice at Krape Park.

"I do notice that they could use a little more parking, but I don't know where they are going to put it," he said, looking around.

But he said even with what could be added, the park is beautiful.

"We're pretty proud of it here."