Park needs plan

A.B. Sidibe
Staff Writer
CRYSTAL RIVER — It is the well-appointed and well-hidden municipal gem of the manatee city. Locals use it to swim and laze around during hot summer days and boaters covet the way it cozies up to King’s Bay.

MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle

MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle The Crystal River City Council held a citizen input workshop Tuesday evening to garner ideas on improving Hunters Spring Park.

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But time and use has caught up with Hunters Spring Park and the city wants to rework it and make it shine.

“It is unusual to have two waterfront parks, and we really want Hunter Springs and King’s Bay Park to anchor our overall plan for the downtown area,” Andy Houston, the city manager said.

And, Tuesday evening, during a workshop about how to redo the park, more than two dozen people showed up to offer suggestions.
Glenn Herbert and Frank Bellomo of Bellomo and Herbert, a landscape architectural firm out of Orlando, who are also charged with coming up with a conceptual plan for the park, led the discussions.

Herbert told the audience they decided to come to residents first and ask for input before embarking planning for the 2.1-acre property at 104 N.E. 1st Ave.

Herbert proceeded to show aerial slides of the decades-old park and its time-worn amenities, going back to the 1950s.

Herbert said he heard about challenges regarding access to the water from the little beach area and safe coexistence between swimmers and boaters. He also pointed to the possibility of expansion of the property if the city desires, by purchasing vacant land near the park.
 

He noted the restrooms are more than likely not up to current standards. And, Herbert thought it was a little puzzling that the main parking lot for the park is smack in the middle of the property.
“Usually parking areas are kept to the perimeters,” he added.

After sharing his impressions, the partners let the audience form groups and come up with suggestions about where they would locate facilities.
 

All the groups wanted the parking lot moved to the side of the property and better configuration that will ensure a reasonable separation between the activities of swimmers and boaters, including paddlers.Marcia Chesnicka’s group even suggested a little area for dogs.

Jewel Lamb and Lisa Moore’s group thought adding more sand beach area and perhaps a motorized boat dock could help.
Bellomo and Herbert thanked the audience for their participation and said they should have a conceptual plan for the park in about 30 days.

“What you all tell us is important. Everybody is not going to get what they want, but we will do our best to pay attention to what was suggested and move from there,” Herbert said.

Chesnicka and her husband Jay said they were really impressed by the process.
 

“It’s a lot better this way. There are no surprises and everyone knows what is going on,” Jay said after the workshop.
Hunter Springs has been a city park since 1943, Houston said.
The park currently has a pavilion with restrooms, picnic area with BBQ grills, kayak launch and a small area.