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Town of Newburgh parks board reviews master-plan mission, Lou Dennis playground schedule
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Summary
The Town of Newburgh Parks Board reviewed proposed mission and planning-area language for its parks master plan, discussed a primary/secondary planning-area approach, and heard updates on Lou Dennis Community Park’s playground schedule, a parks security assessment and FEMA-funded trail repairs.
At its March 7 meeting the Town of Newburgh Parks Board reviewed draft mission-language for the parks master plan, discussed how to define the plan’s service area, and received updates on the Lou Dennis Community Park playground schedule and multiple maintenance items.
A parks staff member presented three proposed mission statements and asked the board to review purpose-language used in prior master plans. The staff member said the board’s existing wording had been repeated for “the past 5 or 6” master plans and that the Department of Natural Resources had asked the board to change its stated purpose. “I do like in the original, the preserve, protect, and manage,” the staff member said, urging members to suggest edits or return comments by email.
Board members focused heavily on where to draw the master-plan planning area. The staff member noted past plans used radii ranging from roughly one mile up to a four-mile planning area and said that current estimates cited a planning-area population of about 24,000. One member suggested designating a primary area for core taxpayers and a secondary area to acknowledge users who travel from nearby towns such as Chandler, Evansville and Princeton.
Paul Perry, town council liaison, asked that the parks security assessment be added to the April 9 agenda. “Chief Mitchell … agreed to be here at our April 9 meeting to present his security assessment of the parks,” Perry said.
Staff also updated the board on construction and funding matters. The staff member said the Lou Dennis Community Park playground work could begin in March with playground installation closer to April, but an exact groundbreaking date was not yet confirmed; staff said they would circulate final dates to the board when available. The member also reported on a FEMA reimbursement issue, saying $50,000 from FEMA “can’t be reimbursed until that work is done underneath the trail,” and that staff had submitted repair proposals (riprap, gabion basket or concrete wall) to ERAP for review.
Noah, the board’s new maintenance supervisor, who has been on the job about three weeks, outlined near-term maintenance work including replacing a vinyl fence near the basketball court (staff recommended a metal fence), converting cottage porch lights to dusk-to-dawn operation, addressing overheated bathroom heaters in a rental room, and relocating a volleyball court ahead of playground construction.
Staff also briefed the board about legacy elements from the town’s former splash pad and fortress—engraved bricks and art tiles—and proposed incorporating selected pieces and donor plaques into the Lou Dennis site or building facade. Playground contractors will provide turf-color samples (bids routed through Mid State); staff asked board members to confirm color choices that will visually separate toddler and older-kid play areas.
The board approved the February minutes by voice vote and set its next meeting for April 9 at Lou Dennis Park (Louvre Room). A motion to adjourn passed and the meeting concluded.
The board did not take votes on the master-plan language or on the playground timeline; staff will return with more detailed proposals and confirmed dates.
