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Parks board opens public hearing, then tables decision on sale of Sixth Avenue Park
Summary
After a public hearing with neighbors and nearby business owners urging preservation, the Evansville Board of Parks Commissioners took the matter of selling Sixth Avenue Park under advisement and will revisit it at a future meeting.
The Evansville Board of Parks Commissioners opened a public hearing May 7 on the possible sale of Sixth Avenue Park and, after public comment and staff remarks, agreed to take the matter under advisement and return it at a future meeting.
The hearing was introduced by Danielle (executive director, Evansville Board of Parks Commissioners), who said the recommendation to evaluate the property came from the parks master plan and that staff considered factors including park uses, average utilization and the level of crime in the area. "This was a recommendation in the master plan," Danielle said, and the hearing was intended to solicit public input before any final step.
Neighbors and nearby business owners urged the board not to sell the park. Joe Thiebe, president of Lensing Wholesale, said the park serves as a buffer between businesses and the surrounding neighborhood and highlighted a large, historically significant black oak on the site. "We'd be interested in exploring possibility of us sponsoring the park, paying for all of the maintenance and upkeep of that park going forward," Thiebe said, adding that his company would consider contractual terms if the city chose to sell.
Resident Jim Keck told the board he drives by the park often and urged the commission to preserve it for neighborhood use. Keck also asked whether playground equipment and the gazebo could be salvaged if the city decided to sell.
Danielle noted nearby park options — listing Fulton, Lamasco and others within roughly a mile — and said the department is evaluating investment opportunities at nearby properties. After public comment, a board member moved and a second was given to table further action so staff can investigate additional options. The board president closed the record on the hearing and confirmed the topic will return to a future meeting.
The board did not finalize any sale or sale terms during the hearing; instead, the commissioners directed staff to explore other options and report back.
The public record for the hearing is now closed; the board said the item will be placed on a subsequent agenda for further consideration.
