Hundreds weigh in on proposed $2 million inclusive playground; council hears calls to delay or approve Eastside Park site

A public hearing at a Morris City Council meeting drew more than 40 speakers Tuesday night to debate a proposal to build an all‑inclusive, $2,000,000 destination playground in Eastside Park and to consider alternate locations including Green River Park, the old elementary school site and Palm De Terre Park.

The NextGen committee and its vendor representative said the playground would be the first of its kind within about 45 minutes of Morris and pledged to raise and donate $2 million to the city with no city funding requested, while neighborhood residents, the Friends of Eastside Park and several planning and parks volunteers urged the council to delay a decision for further study of sites, infrastructure and community impact.

Why it matters: the decision would convert a large portion of a historic, roughly two‑acre central park into a destination playground, shifting parking, sightlines and routine uses; speakers raised concerns about below‑ground utilities, tree loss, community process and long‑term maintenance while proponents emphasized accessibility, central location and economic benefits to local businesses.

NextGen representative Bridal said the group had gathered community support — including a petition with more than 200 signatures — and stressed the project’s inclusive mission: “This is an all inclusive playground that will be the first of its kind within 45 minutes of our community,” Bridal said. She added the group plans to raise $2,000,000 and donate it to the city without requesting council funding.

Opponents and residents asked for a short pause so the city and the various volunteer groups could explore alternative sites and complete additional outreach and technical review. Sue Granger of Friends of Eastside Park told council: “Eastside Park is one of Morris’ most important parks… It is a place of shared memories and experiences,” and asked the council to delay action for 30 days to continue constructive discussions and study alternatives.

Technical and process concerns featured in many remarks. Residents and the park board’s critics noted that Eastside Park is about two acres and that a 23,000‑square‑foot playground concept presented by NextGen would be among the largest destination playground footprints cited in the state research submitted to the council. Public Works Director Russ briefed the council on subsurface infrastructure: the water and sewer that serve the restroom area use plastic pipe and have not presented problems, but clay tile sewer lines on adjacent streets are in deteriorated condition and street‑side utilities may require replacement in a multi‑year street program. Russ said such replacements typically fall in a multi‑year schedule and estimated the neighborhood’s street and utility work could be 7–15 years out depending on priorities and funding.

Speakers suggested several alternative sites. Charlie Glassard and Sue Granger described Green River Park and the old elementary school property as new or resurfaced options; Glassard said donors expressed willingness to contribute tens of thousands of dollars toward purchase of the old elementary school site. NextGen reported that it had explored Green River Park but that on‑site utilities (a large storm line and an 8‑inch water main) made that site impractical without substantial work.

Council discussion: Council Member Gullickson moved to accept the park board’s recommendation to site the inclusive playground at Eastside Park. Council Member Miller seconded and added a friendly amendment directing cooperation among NextGen, Friends of Eastside Park and city staff on design refinement and parking. The motion was on the floor and was the subject of extended council discussion at the end of the public hearing; the transcript provided does not contain a final recorded vote on that motion.

What was clarified in the hearing: NextGen representatives said there is no plan for an immediate expansion beyond the proposed layout; they also stated that existing Eastside playground equipment would be moved to Wells Park if the new project is approved. Several residents and technical speakers urged the council to commission a small feasibility review that would examine subsurface utilities, traffic and parking options (including converting a block to one‑way traffic or diagonal on‑street parking), and a broader community outreach process that could include a representative subcommittee.

The council closed the public hearing after hearing from the assembled speakers and moved on to the remainder of the agenda. The transcript ends after council discussion and a motion/second to accept the park board recommendation with cooperation language; no roll‑call vote on that motion appears in the provided record.

What’s next: Council members discussed options including a 30‑day delay, directing staff to do a feasibility assessment of alternate sites, or adopting the park board’s recommendation with explicit direction for continued community collaboration. The final legislative action and any timelines for design, construction or utility work were not recorded in the transcript.