City Center Park

Phase II of City Center Park

City Center Park: 

City Center Park is a natural area park providing green area to City Center and area neighborhoods.  Phase I built out a parcel of land into a park the City had owned for decades and was completed in 2018.  Phase II (ongoing) will create a boardwalk connection across the wetlands to City Center at Garden Street by Healthy Living and to Market Street.  Market Street will then become the entrance to City Center Park.

Phase II - a boardwalk connection
connection illustration

Phase II of City Center Park is a TIF District project to build a boardwalk connection to Market Street and Garden Street across the Tributary 3 to the Potash Brook wetland, as well as associated paved shared use paths trails.  The concept was developed in 2014 and approved by the City Council in 2017. 

Location of Phase II - City Center Park

City Center Park has an entrance on Barrett Street and a secondary entrance at the end of Iby Street.  The natural area park has ADA accessible walking trails, a play area, and a north south bike path. When Phase II is completed, a main entrance will be located on Market Street and the stormwater ponds (with the bronze Gooses public art) will become part of City Center Park.  A secondary entrance will be located on the future Garden Street next to Healthy Living. 

Location of connecdtion

Boardwalk Connection Design Progress

On November 3, the design team presented progress on the design of the project.   View the powerpoint below (recording forthcoming):
Boardwalk Connection design progress powerpoint cover slide

Recording of the meeting forthcoming.

City Center Park (Phase I) is Open!

map

Phase I of this project opened City Center Park, a natural area park for discovery, contemplation and exercise for residents and employees of City Center and surrounding neighborhoods.

Today the entrance to the park is off of Barrett Street, with a neighborhood entrance at the end of Iby Street.  Phase II will create a main entrance on Market Street, connecting to the park via a boardwalk from the stormwater ponds/gooses art area to the park.  There will also be a new secondary entrance from a new Garden Street recreation path.

Project History:

The 7.65 acre Dumont parcel has been envisioned as a City Center park for several decades, most recently in the TIF District Plan. Over thirty years ago, the City purchased 7.65 acre parcel of land from the Dumont Construction Company (the developers of the neighborhood between City Center and the middle school).The purchase was with the intent to create a park.  

This parcel is adjacent to the Potash Brook Tributary 3 and associated wetlands (located on private property). 

In 2015, public meetings were held and a concept was developed and approved for the parcel (Phase I) and connections to Market Street and Garden Street (Phase II). Construction financing for Phase I was authorized with TIF District financing by a positive vote from the community on November 8, 2016 and construction began in the fall of 2017.  The park was named City Center Park and (Phase I) was completed in the summer of 2018. 

 Dumont_Parcel_-_highlighted_-_small

Process and Timeline 

  • Design Boardwalk & Connections to Garden Street and Market Street entrances (Phase II) - 2022
            View the project presentation from November 3, 2022
             powerpoint cover boardwalk connection sm

  • City Center Park (Phase I) Opening - held August 2018

  • Construction Phase I - 2017-2018

  • Final Plans Phase I - 2017

  • Phase Two:  Plan Set Development  - 2016-2017
    Refine and detail design so that it conforms to all environmental and engineering requirements. 

  • Phase One:  Project Definition (complete) 2015

Preferred Alternative Resolution Adopted in April 2015 and based on the project definition report, this approved design concept includes circulation, park boundaries, and property acquisition.

Project Definition Report This report details the work and community input; provides analysis of the alternatives; and recommended a preferred alternative.

Project Alternatives Several alternatives were produced and presented to the public and stakeholders, and tested against the Purpose and Need Statement.

Purpose and Need Statement Adopted by Planning Commission. 

More information, questions or comments?

Contact:  Ilona Blanchard, Community Development Director at 802-846-4123.

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