Plan could enhance city’s already-unique river park system as river trail destination

National Park Service landscape architect and community planner Russell Clark presented his conceptual master plan for a river and trail park area to about a dozen concerned citizens Wednesday.

Those present included aldermen-elect Parks Smith from Ward One and Drew Horn from Ward Two. Incumbents Alderman-at-Large Keith Conlee, Ward Three Alderman Kevin Dale White, Ward Four Alderman Will Tucker and Mayor Tim Kent did not attend, although Kent had met with Clark earlier.

Clark’s plan dealt primarily with the area between Bankhead Street and I-22. Added areas had been discussed earlier but were not primary goals and would likely require considerable property acquisition.

Clark, who works with the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program and was here thanks to a Heritage Hills grant, emphasized tying the river park, downtown and Tanglefoot Trail areas together. His suggestions all incorporated recreation, conservation and education, using loop trails to keep returning people rather than sending them away.

“I focused on the river way,” he said. “Expand the park and utilize conservation initiatives.”

Clark toured the area with local landscape architect Sam Creekmore to consider possibilities. “I was thoroughly impressed,” he said. “Cities more than double this size don’t have what you have to offer.”

Clark remarked that our resources are all “walkable” with a lot in a compact area.

He said a basic need for a water trail is simply access to the river. For float purposes, access every six to eight miles would be good for a half day, while 12 would be appropriate for a full day on the river.

That means one at the Park Along the River and a second just above I-22 would be sufficient.

But access may involve more than one might think, he said. “The river has muddy, slippery banks,” he said. “The water lever fluctuates.”

The solution he recommends is slabs of rock cut into the bank in steps, about 12 feet wide at the lowest point and narrowing toward the top. The rock would be easy to remove mud from and would facilitate kayak launches.

Access would also mean more than just a path. He said there should be a road, parking space, room to turn around and perhaps a way to launch.

Clark would like to see a second bridge over the river at the lower end of the park. He mentioned high rope and swinging bridges as possibilities, as well as zip lines over the river in both directions.

Clark was surprised to see the rapids just under the I-22 bridge because most of the rivers he has dealt with have mud bottoms. “I was very surprised to see that,” he said. “That’s a very exciting feature to have.” The rapids could contribute to a loop system that could return people to the upper end of the park after they have floated down.

Because the river water level drops dramatically in the summer, he recommended construction of a low head dam just upstream of the I-22 bridge. This would keep water up to a usable level in the park and falling water over the top of the dam would be an attractive feature, he said.

A multi-function feature could be added along the east side of the river. That would be a detention basin. The basin’s shape would be determined by topography but it would catch storm water from Camp Creek Branch and the two ditches that that feed into the river from the Carter Avenue side.

The basin would release the excess water into the river gradually by means of underground pipes and would catch sediment before the water is released.

The basin would not just be a pool, however. “I would plant native species of trees and shrubs and it would provide an educational opportunity,” he said. “You would have a walkway around it and a boardwalk over it to observe wildlife and plant species.”

He sees making the upper part of the park as a nature center, perhaps even with a dedicated educational building.

Clark also sees possibilities for the pool that already exists beside I-22 near the soccer fields and tennis courts. “That would be an ideal learning center for paddle boarders,” he said, because of the size and calm water. “Although you might expand it a little and add a couple of docks.”

He noted that the city already needs more signage for its present features but added the new wayfaring might be largely technological. QR codes that can be scanned by smartphones would link to websites or other information about various opportunities.

Clark mentioned that he learned New Albany is working to become a certified retirement city and that led to an idea not mentioned in earlier conservations.

“What is the dynamic wow factor to bring seniors here,” he asked. “Seniors really like swimming pools.”

This led to a discussion about the possible need for a municipal swimming pool. Although it could be used for senior citizens and swimming instruction, for instance, construction cost could be in the millions of dollars with annual maintenance in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Aldermen in the past have said the city can’t afford that.

Clark said a pool would indeed be one of the most expensive things to have and operate, but also one with the highest demand for use. It would require maintenance, staffing and rigorous scheduling, he added.

A surprising suggestion connected to becoming a retirement community was addition of a senior center.

Clark suggested putting it on the west side of the river just off Bankhead Street. “It would be visible and accessible,” he said. “It would be walkable to downtown and you might even adjust the grade (of the river bank) so you could see the river from the center.”

He mentioned cleaning up Camp Creek beside the Park Along the River for children to use but cautioned that water sampling and testing should be done for two or three years to make sure it is safe.

Clark said there is a need for primitive campsites as well as more elaborate RV spaces. While we have some limited sites, they are not advertised on the internet so visitors might not even know they are there.

Upon learning that the city wastewater treatment plant is being mostly phased out, he suggested that area for an RV park. It would be convenient to the park and could provide revenue to the city. “I can’t think of a more ideal location,” he said. People could walk to games at the sportplex, to the park or downtown.”

He recommended looking into something called the Trail Tour Program,” which would establish state certification with check lists and testing periods. Rep. Sam Creekmore is researching this, he added.

He said his next step is to take suggestions from Wednesday and do a final expanded plan and report, along with a list of funding resources.

“What you have is unique,” he said. “Develop it and protect it.”

“Local experiences, unique restaurants, not fast food, is what people look for in an outdoor recreation destination,” he said.

Clark had one other reminder people may not think of: “Your folks who live here are tourists as well,” he said.

Community Development Director Billye Jean Stroud said the plan is workable but needs to be pursued in a coherent, unified effort.

“People were naysayers about the Tanglefoot Trail but it proved them wrong,” she said. “I believe this will as well. We have all this in our back yard; there is no reason not to take advantage of it.”