Where is our Central Park?
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This is what the Final Adoption Draft of the Gunbarrel Community Center Plan says on
the subject of Parks and Public Uses:
“A potential urban park is proposed for the study area. The park would serve as a
focal point and gathering area for the Community Center. The preferred site that
was identified during the planning process is at the southwest corner of Spine and
Lookout Roads (ed: the current site of the FirstBank building). However, the final
site of a new park will be determined through further evaluation by the Planning
Department and the Parks and Recreation Department through negotiations with the
landowners and business representatives of the site.”
A public park is a key element of a community center. It must be close enough to
the retail core so that people can go there after shopping or eating to relax.
Since the retail core is across Spine Road from the park site originally proposed,
the proximity requirement is satisfied. But what happens if the landowner of that
site is not cooperative? The bank has already said they are not interested in
coexisting with a park. That is why this site went from being an “identified site”
to a “preferred site.”
The land north of Lookout Road is not attractive as a park location – everyone would
have to cross that
major corridor to get to the park. The land further west of Spine is too far away
from the retail core. The best site, of course, would be on Terry O’Connor’s
currently vacant Gunbarrel Town Center site. But he has made no provision for a
park and has stated publicly that he will not build a park. What then? We must
be very careful to prevent separate proposals for individual developments in Gunbarrel
from foreclosing on any possibility of a public park. The Gunbarrel Community Center
Plan has a glaring hole in it – it calls for a public park but fails to place it
firmly in the planned area.
Click on the link below to see other relevant information.
Gunbarrel's Future Park (two story buildings?!)
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page updated 11/29/03
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