City hears from English Park redesign consultant

James Mayse, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.
·2 min read

The city’s process to redesign English Park is expected to take three to four months, the consultant leading the project told Owensboro City Commissioners Tuesday evening.

The consultant had no specific plans to share with commissioners, but told them that the redesign will be based on what the community wants for the park.

The city Parks and Recreation Department announced the redesign earlier this month. The park has a several amenities, including a playground, park shelter, boat ramp and boarding dock and amphitheater seating, although the seating is in poor condition, city parks director Amanda Rogers said previously.

The goal of the project is to increase community usage of the park, Rogers said.

Lee Davidson, executive vice president of Lose Design, said the firm has offices in several states. The firm has designed parks around the country.

But Davidson said the English Park project is special.

“Riverfront parks don’t come around every day,” Davidson said.

A community meeting was held Monday. Rogers said people with ideas for English Park can email the parks department by clicking on the contact link on owensboroparks.org.

Davidson said, “We will be gathering more information about what the city wants” at the park.

Officials said the plan is to have ideas for the park later this year.

“We are looking forward to putting something in front of you,” Davidson said.

Members of the homeless community are known to stay at English Park.

When asked about how the firm would address that issue, Davidson said, “the homeless situation gets a little tricky but there are ways to curtail it, and the biggest thing that seems to help it is to get more people in the park.

“The more action you have in an area, the less homeless issues you have,” Davidson said. “A bit part of it will be getting the park utilized to its maximum.”

In other business the city approved held first reading of an amendment to the 2023-24 budget, allocating $4.5 million for land acquisition and to help fund construction. Daviess Fiscal Court has allocated $2 million to the new senior center, which will be built near Thompson-Berry Park. The senior center board would also look for other sources of funding, City Manager Nate Pagan said.

Commissioners also hired six new police officers who will be half of the first class at OPD’s new police academy, Pagan said.

“For the first time in a long time, we have been at a full complement of officers,” city Police Chief Art Ealum said. The department, with all positions filled, has 111 officers, Ealum said.