By Heather Lusk
The public will have an opportunity to help the parks department create a new park adjacent to the Vonterra subdivision on the west side of Zionsville Road.
A March 7 open house from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. will be the first opportunity for the public to provide input for the Overly Worman Park concept and design. Earlier that day invitation-only sessions are scheduled for input from stakeholders with similar interests.
“We find it’s good (including multiple stakeholders) so their ideas can build on each other,” Parks Director Matt Dickey said.
During an all-day open workshop March 8, designers from Rundell Ernstberger Associates will begin designing the plan based on the previous day’s public input. On March 9, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., the concept for the park will be publicly presented. All sessions will take place at Zionsville Town Hall.
“You’re working the public input very intensively in that time window,” Dickey said.
Experts are exploring the “scientific part” of the land, according to Dickey, to determine if public ideas are feasible before the process goes too far or expectations are raised.
“Tempering public expectations, this is a conceptual process. It will give a nice picture. It will give some cost opinion,” Dickey said.
Heritage Trail Park and Elm Street Green previously were developed using the same process.
The land for Overly Worman Park is being donated in phases based on the development of the subdivision. As part of the plan, the parks dept. will determine if the project can be completed in phases or if all of the land must first be donated.
Part of the design includes an extension of the rail trail south connecting the neighborhood to the town.
The conceptualization will finish in May or June when presented to the parks board for approval. On the heels of that approval the process, the town will begin to seek public input for the park system’s five-year master plan.
