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City planners present reuse framework for Old Street Garage site; community favors splash pad, walking loop
Summary
Lebanon planning staff and consultants presented community survey results and an opportunities-and-constraints plan for reuse of the Old Street Garage site on Lafayette Avenue, showing strong local interest in a neighborhood park with a splash pad, walking loop and teen amenities.
Derek Warren, a planner with the Lebanon planning and zoning department, and consultants from B3 presented community engagement results and an initial opportunities-and-constraints diagram for reuse of the Old Street Garage site on Lafayette Avenue.
The presentation drew on an online survey that ran Sept. 23–Nov. 8 and in-person outreach at a Lebanon High School football game and the Mischief on Meridian event. Sarah Evans, landscape group leader at B3, said the team received 480 survey responses and that respondents most often visit parks weekly and arrive by car. "Walking, jogging, playing at playgrounds, and attending events are all popular activities," Evans said.
The consultants proposed dividing the roughly 3.5-acre site into three zones: a community/event zone abutting Lafayette Avenue with a large group shelter, a restroom and a small amphitheater; a children’s zone with a toddler area, a nature playground, and a splash pad placed intentionally near the restrooms; and a teen zone farther back with features such as a skate element, bouldering or an obstacle course. Corinne Lucas of B3 described a proposed faux-creek feature that would serve as stormwater management and a play element. "We got a lot of comments about really liking natural spaces," Lucas said.
Survey priorities, Evans said, placed a walking path and splash pad at the top, with event/flex lawn, outdoor games and gathering space also ranking highly. Features that surveyed residents did not favor for this site included a dog park, competitive sports fields, and a community garden.
Warren and the consultants said utilities along Lafayette Avenue informed siting decisions and that the team used realistic element sizing to avoid over-programming the small site. They described the process ahead: a sketch master plan by end of January, a conceptual master plan in early February, cost opinions and an illustrative rendering in late February or early March, and a final public presentation in mid-March.
Board members and audience speakers pressed for clarity on maintenance burden, long‑term operating costs and phasing. One board member asked that the team include estimated maintenance time and overtime costs for park staff when preparing cost opinions; Evans said operations cost will be coordinated with the parks staff and recommended staff (Kevin and John) would help provide those figures. Warren reiterated that the final plan will include a conceptual cost estimate and options for phasing implementation.
No formal vote was taken on the master plan at the meeting. The consultant team asked the board and the public to submit written feedback during the sketch-master-plan stage so the next presentation can reflect community and staff input.
As presented, the plan emphasizes a compact neighborhood park with restroom facilities, shaded seating, a multi‑use loop for walking and biking, and play features scaled to nearby residential context.
