Somers Park receives makeover

Apr. 29—A public park owned by Center Township has received a makeover that breathes new life into the long neglected property.

The final touches of a $400,000 upgrade of Somers Park are underway. When all is said and done, the park, located at the intersection of East Jefferson and North Delphos streets, will have new playground equipment, a ninja course and a seven-space parking lot.

The new playground equipment includes a swing set, two spinners, a crab trap and a playset for kids 2 to 5 years old.

Just north, separated by greenspace, is a "ninja course" with a spiderwalk, a climbing net and other obstacle course like equipment, that looks plucked from the popular TV show "American Ninja Warrior."

The mixture of options was purposeful as it allows children of all ages to use the park in some way. The "ninja course" fulfills the vision of the later and former trustee and the late Rev. Robert Lee, who envisioned the park to include both play and exercise.

The parking lot is located atop the park's hill, just off North Delphos Street. Since the playground came under the budget of $500,000, the township went ahead and installed the modest parking lot for around $29,000. The township also repainted the existing shelter.

The upgrade to Somers Park comes a little more than three years after the township was gifted the park by the city of Kokomo and about two years since the township seriously began considering overhauling the four-acre property.

The former playground equipment was old and did not meet modern safety standards.

The township is hoping to open the park to the public in May.

"I'm really excited for the ninja course, for both playgrounds really, because I think it's unique, and I don't think there's anything quite like it in Kokomo," Andrew Durham, Center Township trustee, said.

Getting to this point was a bit of a roller coaster ride.

Under a majority Democratic township board, $500,000 was allocated to improve Somers Park. The township, though, had loftier ideas and hired an outside firm to conduct surveys to find out what the surrounding residents wanted to see at the park.

One of the final concept designs included a parkwide walking path, lighting, restrooms, a fitness area, space for yard games, resurfacing the existing basketball court, two new park shelters, a parking lot and more.

The estimated cost was nearly $3 million, a price that a new all-Republican board balked at. The new board also was not willing to issue debt and pay for the upgrade over a set number of years. Instead, the new board would rather the township focus its efforts and money toward assistance, the primary responsibility for township government.

Without board approval for the pricier option, Durham, a Democrat, was forced to settle for a smaller upgrade using money already allocated.

"It seems like it's taken forever," Durham said.

Still, the first-term trustee is excited to see all the hours put into the project finally pay off. As of Wednesday, all the equipment had been installed and all that remains is landscaping and adding the engineered wood fiber surface. Center Township contracted local company PlayPros to select and install the new playground equipment.

In the future, Durham hopes the township can continue to improve the park, specifically the basketball court and accessibility.

"Hopefully we can save some money in the coming years and piece out those projects," Durham said.

Tyler Juranovich can be reached at 765-454-8577, by email at tyler.juranovich@kokomotribune.com or on Twitter at @tylerjuranovich.