(Photo by Shelley Hanson) Paden City resident Charlie Duke, left, points to something on one of the improvement concept plans for the city park and pool as Thrasher Landscape Architect Marcus Carnegie, center, and Landscape Designer Sarah Naegele look on. A meeting about park improvement ideas based on a recent survey was held Jan. 14 at the Paden City Public Library.

PADEN CITY – Paden City residents were shown potential plans for improvements to their city park during a meeting hosted by the Thrasher Group on Jan. 14.

The two concepts were based on information gleaned from a survey taken by residents during the past few months. The survey asked residents what they believed was important at the park and what new recreational features they would like to see.

Based on the surveys, Thrasher’s concepts feature three new fishing piers, an improved RV parking area and shower house, a new parking lot closer to the existing swimming pool, new picnic shelters, riverfront bench-swings, basketball and volleyball courts, shade sails near the performance stage, additional restrooms and a potential pool expansion.

Residents were given the chance to look at maps of the concepts during the meeting held at the Paden City Public Library.

“Most of what people wanted was more restrooms, better access to the river and to be able to have park benches to have access to that, fishing piers, boat docks, and general recreational improvements: walking trails and those kinds of things,” said Marcus Carnegie, landscape architect with Thrasher Engineering.

“So both of these concepts have those features, but in different arrangements. The first concept, we’re taking almost all the structures that exist there and reusing those and keeping those the way they are; except for the restroom, we’re relocating the restroom in this one.

“We’re adding trails, improving the parking and the existing shelter and pavilion, some swings on the riverfront and having 10 RV spots.”

He said the second concept has the same features regarding river access, but adds 14 RV spots accompanied by a shower house and restrooms. The second concept also shifts the existing playground closer to the riverfront.

“So when the kids are playing the parents have a place to sit and enjoy the river,” he added. “We’ve done more parking closer to the pool and pickleball courts so it’s more centralized and with a restroom.”

The second concept would also include walkways and shade sails in front of the stage.

Carnegie said after receiving feedback from residents about the concepts, a final plan will be rendered afterward.

“The cost estimates will go with that,” he added. “There are usually some elements from concept one and two that go into the final plan. I’m looking forward to gathering people’s feedback and putting together a final plan. It’s a great park, it’s a great space. I’m looking forward to revitalizing that and taking advantage of the waterfront.”

Carnegie said the plan is a long-range one and likely will not be done all at once. Certain items may be tackled first. For example, the city may want to do the RV park improvements first to help generate new income.

“Phased is usually how these things work if you have a large funding source available,” he said.

Funding for Thrasher’s concept work was covered via a grant secured by the Paden City Development Authority. However, funding to help get the projects started still needs to be sought.

Patty Hickman of Montrose Environmental added that as part of the improvements there are a few areas of soil contaminated with lead that will need to be covered up with concrete or cordoned off with bushes to keep people from disturbing the soil. She noted it would be better to cover up those sites as during testing soil samples as deep as 15 feet showed the lead contamination.

“It could be removed, but it’s down deep and it would be really expensive to remove it,” she said. “And if you have something like that in the soil, the problem with it is when people directly contact it – just like lead paint, if children eat paint chips. Well, if someone was in direct contact with the soil that’s what the concern would be. If you can cover it over and break that direct contact there isn’t a risk to people.”

Hickman said one area is in the RV park and adjustments can be made to cover those areas up with the parking pads.

“The rest of the park was tested and the surface soil was OK,” Hickman added. “And the ballfield and all that was OK. There were just a few spots and the worst spot was over by the river where people don’t even camp.”

Hickman said the lead contamination is likely leftover from industry that operated in the area many years ago. She stressed the park is safe to use.

Cork Bowen, president of the Paden City Development Authority, described the concepts as “a good start.”

“Basically a long-range usage plan …it doesn’t mean it’s all going to happen tomorrow. It’s a blueprint for the future. Things can change; the chess pieces can move from time to time,” Bowen said. “It’s something we can try to follow and live with.”

Bowen noted the RV park will be a valuable revenue stream for the park and help with its upkeep.

“We’re very excited about it and the Park and Pool Commission will have a blueprint for the future, and it will make getting grants a lot easier,” he said.

Ron Casto, president of the Paden City Park and Pool Commission, noted the ideas in the final plan will not happen overnight.

“It’s going to take our City Council to do something,” Casto said. “We don’t have money; the City Council has the money. They have to determine what they want to do, not us. All we can do is give them offers and things like this to help them determine how they want to do it. But it’s all up to our City Council.”

Casto said the Friends of Pool group does a lot of work to raise funds and secure sponsorships for free swims at the park’s pool. This has helped the pool “break even” money wise each year.

He said at one point in the past city leaders were mulling closing the swimming pool permanently, but the Friends of the Pool sold candy bars to raise money to keep it open.

Casto said the city’s current mayor, Clyde Hochstrasser, cares more about the future of the pool and park than past mayors.