Moving Forward
Carrollton
mayor endorses
master plan for long-awaited park
Project
to cost $14 million,
include entertainment options
By
Helen E. McKinney
Contributing Writer
CARROLLTON, Ky. (November 2011) – Carrollton
Mayor Gene McMurry says he is pleased with the way things are looking
for the expansion of Point Park. With everything seeming to fall into
place, work on this long-term project may finally begin this year.
The Point Park master plan was revealed in September by Lose & Associates
at a Carrollton City Council meeting. “It has everything at the
time that I thought would make it functional,” said McMurry. The
plan incorporates many options for entertaining and activities for all
ages.
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"There’s
no other place that has been developed that has two rivers coming
together." |
Amenities will include a river walk, splash park, playground
area, outdoor amphitheatre, a multi-purpose pavilion, boat launch accessibility,
areas for playing basketball and volleyball, trails, river lookout,
dog park, many native trees and landscaping.
“It will even include history,” said McMurry.
Markers will be placed along the river walk that relates the history
of Port William, the original name of Carrollton.
He admits that installing a $15 million park is “an ambitious goal,
but it’s something we’ve needed for a long time. With the
help of the citizens of the community and council members, it can be
completed in a reasonable time.”
Carroll County Judge-Executive Harold “Shorty” Tomlinson agreed
that “although this is a city project, when you look at the totality
of the cost of what that master plan will cost, it is an ambitious project”
that will affect the county.
McMurry wants to see work on the river walk portion started this year.
“Everyone is anticipating this,” he said. The master plan
recommends various activities centered on the Fourth and Fifth Street
sections. Work will most likely begin at Point Park and extend toward
the Two Rivers RV Park, which is located along the Kentucky River heading
south.
While the main focus of this project is to develop the downtown riverfront
area, another major factor that has been incorporated is access to the
Ohio River. A dock or bulkhead will be constructed for river traffic,
with walls placed against the bank as it slopes down to the river.
Water Street is slated to become a focal point as a scenic drive through
and event space. The master plan suggests a pavilion with benches and
ornamental paving for the intersection of Fourth and Main Streets. An
amphitheater will be placed between Second and Third Streets. The plan
addresses additional concerns, such as increased traffic flow and additional
parking along the Kentucky River.
The convenient thing about the master plan is that it can be completed
in three to four different phases, McMurry said. This is a long-term
project that he expects to take five to ten years to complete.
The project will be funded mainly through grant money. McMurry is meeting
with a group in November and hopes to get $2 million to begin the project.
Once the city reaches 501 c(3) status as a tax exempt entity, “we
can go to foundations for funding,” he said. Fundraising efforts
need to be implemented, and there are a number of properties that have
no titles.
“This has to be cleared up before we can purchase more land.”
Tomlinson said that the city is putting great strides forward on this
project and has managed to begin work on the RV park during a difficult
time. “It is now economically more challenging to make it work,”
he said. Tomlinson thinks the total estimated cost of $15 million is
on “the very conservative side.”
The county has no plans to contribute to the project at this time, said
Tomlinson. “We may help with in-kind labor, or lend equipment,
but no one from the city has contacted us for funding.”
McMurry said he intends for the park to be a destination area. Coupled
with the Two Rivers RV Park, such things as an amphitheatre will provide
more opportunities for live performances. “It will open up the
area to a lot more activities, like concerts, and art groups.”
Tomlinson especially likes the idea of a river walk in the downtown
area. He said that it is something local people would utilize a bit
more than tourists. He would also like to see more shops developed in
the downtown area to compliment the river walk.
“The location of this park makes it unique,” McMurry said.
“There’s no other place that has been developed that has two
rivers coming together.”