Feb 8, 2007 By Steve Ferris 4 min read

A master plan unveiled Wednesday for Uniontown’s parks and playgrounds recommends $1.2 million in improvements to Bailey Park, reopening Coal Lick Run Park and keeping Albright Park closed. The plan, which a consulting firm began preparing last spring, was reviewed in a special meeting held after a City Council meeting was canceled due to a lack of a quorum.

Councilman Joseph Giachetti said council probably would select one park to work on because the city cannot afford to carry out all the recommendations for all the parks.

The plan includes sources of grants. The primary source was the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, which offers matching grants for park projects.

Council hired Herbert, Rowland and Grubic (HRG) of Cranberry Township to study the parks and prepare a master plan for each one using a $30,000 grant that U.S. Rep. John P. Murtha, D-Johnstown, secured for the city.

James Feath of HRG said the recommendations were based on inventories of equipment and facilities at the parks, the existing condition of the parks, the results of surveys mailed to city residents and input gathered from six neighborhood meetings.

Fay-Penn Economic Development Council prepared and mailed the surveys and assisted in conducting the meetings.

Feath began his presentation by outlining the recommendations for Bailey Park, the city’s largest and most-used park.

Recommendations included constructing an aquatic “splash park” or fountain, building a skateboard park, eliminating four of the six tennis courts, maintaining both basketball courts, moving the playground equipment to a central location, expanding the restrooms and concession facilities, expanding the parking lots, creating landscaped entrances to the park and building a trail that weaves through the park.

Feath said the six tennis courts are not in useable condition now.

All the work would cost an estimated $1.2 million based on current construction costs, he said.

The city’s second busiest park is the Grant Street Park.

“We heard great things from day one about Grant Street Park,” Feath said.

The recommendations included adding a second basketball court, eliminating one of the two tennis courts, building a covered pavilion, constructing a trail and expanding the restroom and storage facilities. The estimated cost is $377,000.

Coal Lick Run Park, which has been closed for the last few years because of vandalism, should be reopened after several improvements are done, Feath said.

He said building a trail in the park would complement Rotary Walk, which borders the park.

The park is not visible from Mill Street, but removing the dense vegetation from the bank of Coal Lick Run would make it visible and safer, Feath said.

Other recommendations included eliminating both tennis courts, adding a second basketball court, installing playground equipment and erecting a fence along the stream bank. The estimated cost is $368,000.

A pavilion at the park was destroyed in an arson in 2005 and a storage garage also was damaged.

Marshall Park in downtown would get a pavilion with an event stage, a central pavilion, trails and benches. The George C. Marshall monument would be moved to a more prominent location in the park. The work would cost about $522,000.

The park is adjacent to the Uniontown Public Library and Feath suggested that the city and library offer some type of activity that allows the library to use the park.

Marshall Square, which is adjacent to the parking garage on South Street, is not being used currently, but could become an “urban plaza,” Feath said.

The recommendations were to create a brick plaza with benches and replacing the old fountain with a plant bed.

The Marshall monument, which is in need of repairs, would be relocated to a more visible location in the square.

Albright Park hasn’t been opened for the last couple years after a swing set was destroyed in a fire and other vandalism occurred.

The preliminary plan that was presented in December recommended creating a playground in the city-owned island in Kensington Circle, but that playground was removed from the plan because residents opposed the idea, Giachetti said.

Feath said because of the high cost of the work, the city should address the plan in phases over 10 to 15 years.

He said the cost for each project included 10 percent contingency funds and fees for consultants, surveys, permits and engineering services.