Lightfoot Senior Center, is aiming to give residents another community park that provides new access to the Hillsborough River. The project will combine the existing Riverside Park, which has a playground and the Angel Hope Memorial, with a currently undeveloped, larger parcel to the north, as well as the Springdale Pond to the west, into one cohesive project.
So everything β the sidewalks, the boardwalk, the lights, everything β look the same? The city envisions the park aiding in efforts to improve the walkability in the downtown development area along 56th Street. A family could have dinner nearby, for example, walk a few yards to grab a dessert somewhere and then head to the park so their children can run around and play.
As planning remains in its early stages, there were a handful of concerns and suggestions put forth by those in attendance at the Lightfoot Center. Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Langefeld said many of the trees have already been evaluated by city arborist Joe Ferris. Parking and traffic flow were also major points of discussion.
The park will not have an access point off 56th Street, but an additional raised pedestrian crosswalk will be added to improve access off South Riverhills Drive.
The plans call for adding around 15 to 20 new parking spaces, but some attendees felt that may not be enough. Laura Duplain, the project manager for Halff, made it clear the park was not being designed to be a major regional draw that will host large festivals and events, but rather a community park, which explains the parking and bathroom plans.
