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Ferguson supervisors direct parks committee to revisit Cecil Urban Park plan amid budget concerns
Summary
Facing a $1.1 million, DCNR‑matched park project and township operating shortfalls, the board directed the parks committee to rework the master plan, survey residents and confirm grant deadlines before committing the township’s $555,000 match.
Ferguson Township supervisors on March 17 directed the township parks committee to revisit the Cecil Urban Park phase‑2 master plan and to engage residents and internal and external committees before the board proceeds with construction.
Tom King, township manager, told the board the phase‑2 concept — funded in part by a Land and Water Conservation Fund award — would build an access driveway and parking area, a small pavilion, paved walking connections to Nixon Road, stormwater controls and landscaping. The total project estimate is roughly $1.1 million; the grant covers 50 percent and the township’s match would be about $555,000.
The discussion turned to timing and priorities. “That $500,000 comes with a cost. That’s not free money,” said Bill Kio, a longtime resident who has served previously as a supervisor, urging caution and recommending a pause to allow a fresh master‑plan review and better alignment with community priorities.
Other supervisors and residents said they support improved park access and connectivity but asked staff to reconsider the project footprint and the placement of parking relative to the playground and the elementary school. “If we build a parking lot a tenth of a mile away from the playground, people will reasonably ask why we didn’t prioritize the existing active area,” one supervisor said.
The board voted unanimously to move the project into a more deliberate design and outreach phase: parks committee review, community surveys and targeted stakeholder meetings. The motion also asked staff to check with the grant provider about whether staff time can count toward the township match and to explore possible deadline extensions and phased spending to reduce single‑year budget impacts.
King said DCNR funding for the award has been allocated and that advancing design work will produce a 30% schematic to bring back to the park committee and the public. He added that some elements shown in the concept plan (for example, permeable pavers in parking stalls and stormwater elements) reflect grant expectations and could be refined in design conversations.
Next steps: the parks committee will review and report back with revised concepts and cost estimates; staff will seek confirmation from the grantor on match‑eligibility for staff time and on any flexibility for the project schedule.
