Park Board follows through on citizens' plans

The latest evidence: the acquisition of 250 acres for new projects and the hiring of Marla Calico as special facilities coordinator.

The Park Board has purchased the Rutledge-Wilson Farm – 200 acres near Sunshine and West Bypass – for $1.7 million, and 54 acres near Interstate 44 and Glenstone, part of the 150-acre Valley Water Mill Project for $983,000.

Calico, known for her 27-year tenure at Ozark Empire Fair, joined the Park Board July 25.

“That’s just a portion of the things,” Director of Parks Dan Kinney said of recent Park Board activities.

A five-year quarter-cent sales tax increase for park improvements, which expires in November 2006, is fueling improvements to Cooper Tennis Complex, Doling Park, and Dickerson Park Zoo, while continuing to lay more than 75 miles of greenway trails and funding additions such as the Valley Water Mill Project and Rutledge-Wilson Farm.

The Park Board also will take control of Springfield Lake’s north shore from City Utilities within the next year, adding picnic areas and aquatic activities such as canoeing. Kinney didn’t have a dollar figure for the project, but said first-wave plans are 90 percent complete.

The Park Board plans to offer a functioning farm complete with animals for urbanites to visit at the Rutledge-Wilson Farm. The Valley Water Mill land – for which officials are negotiating another 100 acres – will be used for trails and a future equestrian program. The projects are scheduled to begin in 12 months and will be mostly complete within 24 months.

Calico’s position was added to oversee the new projects. “Because they’re new properties and extremely unique, it’s a matter of development, it’s a matter of bridging somewhat between the operations division and the recreation division within the parks department,” Calico said. “To be part of (this) dynamic organization is exciting for me.”

The citizen-selected Vision 20/20 improvements have been implemented in stages, funded by around $10 million in taxes per year dedicated to parks.

Greene County Auditor Cindy Stein said the tax increase has generated $6 million this year through August to bring the total collected to $29 million, with 91.95 percent of the money going to Springfield park sites.

Several projects are under way:

• Cooper Tennis Complex will receive $4 million in renovations by spring 2006. Money from a variety of sources, such as $1 million from the Harry Cooper family, will help add six new indoor courts to the facility.

• Doling Park will get a $700,000 museum, highlighting the park’s history. Doling Park, named in the 1800s for local merchant and state representative James Marshall Doling, was purchased by the city in 1929. It has housed an amusement park, professional baseball park, dance hall and roller skating rink.

“It will be a nice touch to one of our most historical park sites,” Kinney said about the museum, noting that people already have donated items ranging from old ticket stubs to bumper cars used in the amusement park.

• Dickerson Park Zoo is nearing the final stage of a $5 million renovation.

Mike Crocker, zoo superintendent, said the zoo added tigers for the first time since the 1980s, as well as major renovations to the elephant area and Missouri- and Asian-themed areas.

“It’s been very popular with the visitors,” Crocker said of the additions.

• Ozark Greenways is about halfway to its goal of laying more than 75 miles of trails around Springfield.

“We’re going to keep working to hit those numbers,” said Terry Whaley, executive director of the group.

Kinney said the credit for the Park Board’s expansion goes to taxpayers and other support groups interested in preserving the Ozarks’ natural environment.

“We are particularly blessed with the support groups that are out getting donations to add to this,” Kinney said. “More and more people are in tune with the environment, the preservation of the ecology in which we live.”

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