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Southern Ulster Times, Wednesday, June 6, 2018
Big plans afoot for Plattekill Town Park
By MARK REYNOLDS
[email protected]
Recently Dwight and Laura Dougherty
proposed an ambitious plan to the Town
Board to bring significant improvements
and additions to the Thomas Felton town
park. With the board’s blessing the couple
will begin to solicit input from the public
that will become part of an overall park
master plan.
Dwight pointed out that the town has
grown significantly in the past 50 years
and that recreational improvements at
the park are long overdue. He said the
park was originally developed 20 years
ago.
“Parks are the heart of any community
and ours is no exception,” he said, adding
that plans have been considered that
would meet the needs of residents of all
ages.
The Dougherty’s said presently the
park has baseball and soccer fields, a
gazebo, a pavilion, horseshoe pits, a
playground area, a bocce ball area and
a Veterans Memorial. They said the
plan would concentrate on a courtyard
concept.
“We feel the town lacks a central area
for which our community activities can
develop from and around. As our town
has grown, so have resident’s requests
and demands to keep up with the future,”
Dwight said. “A quality community
center is an asset to any community. Ours
will be able to offer space and opportunity
and a variety of social, recreational and
educational activities tailored to [what]
the members of our community are
interested in. Our seniors deserve a great
place to gather as well as a place for
community pot luck meals, singles nights,
after-school programs, tutoring help and
wellness exercise classes, crafts, lectures,
dances and musical performances just to
name a few examples. When we reach out
to our neighbors and make new friends
or renew old ones, our quality of life is
increased.”
Dwight said their vision for a center
is for a, “wide wrap-around porch with
one side facing the courtyard and the
beautiful sunrise and the other side
facing our amazing sunsets. The wide
porch offers a place to run to when a
summer shower starts and a shady place
to relax as it provides a covered outdoor
area for a party or to just play checkers.”
He added that in heat or cold emergencies
a center, with a back-up generator, would
be critical in providing a safe refuge for
residents.
The children’s playground may get a facelift.
Dwight suggested including a
bandstand at the park because, “it taps
deeply into the essence of our town and
resonates with lazy, hazy summer days
and the nostalgic notions of a gentle time,
which is especially welcome in a modern
fast paced world that exists outside the
park.”
Dougherty also proposed a fire pit
that could function as a, “centerpiece
of an inviting outdoor living room all
year long.” He also envisions erecting
a clock tower as a way to, “help us keep
a schedule while preserving historical
character and beauty.”
Dougherty said he is looking to expand
the 20 acres that are currently in use and
add 75 acres that the town owns but has
yet developed. He said a zigzag style trail
system for walking, running, hiking or
biking could be designed to interlock and
outline the entire 95 acres. He said this
all would have to be properly maintained
with the necessary tools and machines
stored in an on-site building that is set
aside for that purpose. He would also like
to build a second pavilion and establish a
dog park.
Dougherty said the popular basketball
courts at the Town Hall should be
moved to the town park to help alleviate
crowding, especially when Town Court
is in session. He would like to see tennis
courts installed at the park, a sport that
can be played by all age groups. He said if
the tennis court were creatively designed
using color-coded lines, pickle ball could
also be played there. Pickle ball is usually
played on a smaller court, with players
using light raquets and a whiffle-like
ball and is a combination of badminton,
tennis and ping-pong.
Dougherty would also like to create a
skatepark using a variety of pipes, rails
and ramps similar to one that is now in
Continued on page 5
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