Boonville section of Jordan Valley Park almost done

As the Boonville streetscape nears completion, it will mark the first tangible piece of the vision of center city's Jordan Valley Park.

At a meeting of the Jordan Valley Park Advisory committee Wednesday, project manager Benjamin Alexander of the city's Planning and Development Department gave an update of the streetscape project and other aspects of the park's progress.

According to Alexander, the lights for both the intersections at Boonville and Olive and National and St. Louis should arrive by June 5. He also reported to the committee that the new soil composition for the streetscape is working well.

"The structural soil will allow trees to grow better but still support the sidewalks well," Alexander said. "It's kind of a pilot project."

Completion of the streetscape is scheduled for late June.

The next step in the park project is the final acquisition of the Thompson dealership. Alexander said the city will take possession of most of the property June 5. The paint building of the car dealership will be occupied by the former owner until June 12. Demolition of the property should be complete by July.

With the recent commitment of City Utilities for financial backing of the proposed "water feature," in the park, the city is in the process of selecting a consultant to design and implement the project. Alexander told the committee that the list has been narrowed to three, based out of Los Angeles. The final decision should be made in a few weeks.

The water feature should be a central element of phase one of the park's development, which also includes green space and a public ice arena, stretching from Benton Avenue to John Q. Hammons Parkway.

In June, Alexander said the consultant will be brought in to tour the park site and plan for the water feature. By early August, the park site will be cleared and construction of phase one should start in early spring 2001. The estimated completion date of phase one is October 2001.

"We starting to reach critical dates," Alexander said. "If we don't get things done in time, then everything will get pushed back."

Parking issues were also discussed and how to maximize both space used and safety of park patrons. Between the American Legion building at Benton and National to the west and the proposed ice arena to the east, there is room for 189 parking spaces, Alexander said.

"It's pretty much a foregone conclusion that there will be a fee for parking," Alexander said.

Approximately 50 spaces can also be added along the adjacent East Trafficway, Alexander said, and the parking lot is designed to accommodate a future multi-level parking garage with an additional 275 spaces.

With the large number of families and small children attracted by the park and ice arena, safety should take precedence over collecting park fees, said committee member Jan Wooten.

"We want to encourage people to drop off their children at the lot and not along Trafficway," she said.

Alexander also detailed a recent feasibility study performed by Economic Research Associates of Los Angeles. The study predicted a strong market in support of the park and arena, as well as a planned private development exposition arena not included in phase one. However, the study also indicated that the latter arena could lose money for at least the first three years before becoming profitable.

Jordan Valley Park was conceived by the Springfield Vision 20/20 committee as a way to revitalize center city. Beyond phase one, the park has planned boundaries that could expand as far west as Kansas Expressway and east to National Avenue.

The estimated project cost for phase one of the park is $22 million and will cover approximately 35 acres, Alexander said.

The public is invited to attend the June meeting of the advisory committee, which will be held at 5:30 p.m. June 20 in the Discovery Center, 438 E. St. Louis. City staff and committee members will be on hand to answer questions about the park project.