Consultant presents master-plan concepts for Tift Park, flags accessibility and historic concerns

Ron Huffman, a consultant with WSP, presented a draft assessment and concept plan for Tift Park on April 7, 2025, laying out site history, current conditions and a menu of possible improvements including pickleball and tennis courts, a consolidated inclusive playground, a splash pad, upgraded trail loops and a potential fire-station footprint in the northwest corner of the park.

Huffman opened the presentation with historical material, noting that “in 1993, the park was added to the National Register of Historic Places,” and showed National Register nomination text and old postcard images to illustrate original features and past layouts. He said the park has suffered storm damage and tree loss in recent decades and that many existing park features are not accessible. “For all intents and purposes, parks not accessible. Period,” Huffman said, explaining that many pavilions and restrooms are set in grass without paved, accessible routes from parking.

The consultant displayed a base map showing existing elements — the Boys & Girls Club, swimming pool, abandoned tennis courts, pavilions, gazebo and large-caliper trees — and described program items derived from stakeholder interviews. Those items included fencing, site-furnishing upgrades, trail and lighting improvements, consolidated inclusive playgrounds, a splash pad tied to the pool, courts for pickleball/tennis, a dog park, a coffee concession, additional restrooms and security cameras.

Huffman also flagged adjacent land-use issues. He said the parcel north of the Boys & Girls Club is in poor condition and recommended engaging that property’s owner in discussions: “I think it’s real important that they get to the table to discuss all this,” he said. He also noted a mismatch between the park’s zoning and its intended use, observing that the park “is currently zoned residential… your comprehensive plan has it indicated a future land use map as commercial,” and recommended correcting that inconsistency.

Commissioners asked about phasing and costs. One commissioner proposed concentrating a Phase A on the east side of North Monroe to deliver early priorities — restrooms, parking and courts — and leave a Phase B for the west side. Huffman provided scale and layout comments for a proposed fire station footprint, saying he could add pavement and parking to the graphic to show the full magnitude. He also measured an outer carriage-loop at about 3,500 linear feet (roughly two-thirds of a mile) and said a completed inner loop would measure about a quarter-mile.

Huffman recommended consolidating four existing playgrounds into one large inclusive playground accessible from parking and sidewalks, removing or replacing site elements that are failing (horseshoe pits, some concrete structures and an incongruous park office), and upgrading restroom access. Commissioners and Huffman discussed gatehouse features and traffic-calming measures on North Monroe, including speed tables and narrowed entrances, to reduce cut-through traffic while preserving the street’s character.

Next steps discussed included outreach to the Boys & Girls Club and other stakeholders, adding pavement/parking details to the fire-station footprint for clarity, and preparing a cost magnitude for a phase-1 package focused on a splash pad, restrooms and courts. Huffman said he has started stakeholder interviews (including comments from the Historic Preservation Commission and the fire chief) and will prepare a cost estimate in a later draft. Commissioners asked staff to consider a phased implementation to allow earlier delivery of high-demand items.

Ending: Commissioners asked for follow-up materials — a cost magnitude for a phase-1 package, confirmation of acreage for the Boys & Girls Club parcel, and refined drawings that include pavement for the fire-station footprint. Huffman said he would provide additional figures, and commissioners signaled support for more stakeholder discussion and a phased approach to implementation.