South Bend CM 2 2016 1102 web r

COMMUNITY MEETING #2

NOVEMBER 2, 2016

PROJECT AREA
+/- 8 miles of St. Joseph River
within City limits

NORTH

A PROJECT FOCUS: PARKS + TRAILS
H A LEEPER PARK
B EAST RACE

B G C MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT
C D ISLAND, PLAZA, PIER & STIVER PARKS
DE E SEITZ PARK
F HOWARD PARK
F G VIEWING PARK
I

H H EAST BANK TRAIL

I WEST BANK TRAIL

ABOUT THE PROJECT

• A strategic plan for the City of South Bend’s riverfront park and trail system; focus on
the riverfront parks and trails located in downtown.

• Strategic plan should
– Reinforce trail and park system as a network of facilities
– Ensure multifunctional and distinctive public open space to serve current and future

needs

– Embrace ecological values associated with the corridor
– Embrace South Bend’s cultural diversity in the planning process
– Reinforce neighborhood connectivity with the river parks
– Support economic development opportunities

– Establish design standards for the entire system

– Establish designs for key priority locations

180 attended
Community Meeting
Over 200 sticky note
comments
1,000’s of on-line
survey comments

5

AGENDA

1. Welcome/Introductions
2. Project Overview
3. Parks & Trails Observations
4. Priority Areas
5. Break-Out/Group Discussion
6. Next Steps

AGENDA

1. Welcome/Introductions

2.Project Overview

3. Parks & Trails Observations
4. Priority Areas
5. Break-Out/Group Discussion
6. Next Steps

Community Meeting #1

September 8, 2016

Community Meeting #1

Summary of Comments

Facilities Safety Connectivity Character Programming

Community Meeting #1

Summary of Comments

Facilities Safety Connectivity Character Programming

Bathrooms/benches/
drinking fountains

Improve river access
(ped + canoe/kayak)

Multi-seasonal
skate/water

Better bike facilities/
maintain in winter

ADA/universal access

Community Meeting #1

Summary of Comments

Facilities Safety Connectivity Character Programming
Bathrooms/benches/ Police bike patrols/
drinking fountains security stations
Improve river access More lighting
(ped + canoe/kayak) Railing along river
Multi-seasonal path
skate/water Safe connection
Better bike facilities/ between E/W
maintain in winter Leeper Park
ADA/universal access

Community Meeting #1

Summary of Comments

Facilities Safety Connectivity Character Programming
Bathrooms/benches/ Police bike patrols/
drinking fountains security stations Loops of varying distance
Improve river access More lighting
(ped + canoe/kayak) Railing along river Improve
Multi-seasonal path signage/wayfinding
skate/water Safe connection
Better bike facilities/ between E/W EnhanceWest Bank Trail
maintain in winter Leeper Park
ADA/universal access Connections to
neighborhoods and parks

Keep Island Park accessible

Community Meeting #1

Summary of Comments

Facilities Safety Connectivity Character Programming
Bathrooms/benches/ Police bike patrols/
drinking fountains security stations Loops of varying distance Keep WPA structures
Improve river access More lighting
(ped + canoe/kayak) Railing along river Improve Lookouts on the river
Multi-seasonal path signage/wayfinding Open views to the river
skate/water Safe connection EnhanceWest Bank Trail (“windows”to the river)
Better bike facilities/ between E/W
maintain in winter Leeper Park Connections to Public art
ADA/universal access neighborhoods and parks
Maintain/create
Keep Island Park accessible natural areas

Community Meeting #1

Summary of Comments

Facilities Safety Connectivity Character Programming
Bathrooms/benches/ Police bike patrols/
drinking fountains security stations Loops of varying distance Keep WPA structures More activities (i.e. kids
Improve river access More lighting activities/adult exercise)
(ped + canoe/kayak) Railing along river Improve Lookouts on the river
Multi-seasonal path signage/wayfinding Christmas market
skate/water Safe connection Open views to the river
Better bike facilities/ between E/W EnhanceWest Bank Trail (“windows”to the river) Year-round active use on
maintain in winter Leeper Park East Race
ADA/universal access Connections to Public art
neighborhoods and parks Programming/awareness
Maintain/create in all parks
Keep Island Park accessible natural areas

Analysis: Trails + Natural Features

Analysis: Programming

Stakeholder Meetings

State & Local Organizations

Stakeholder Meetings

City Planning/Engineering Staff

Stakeholder Meetings

Local Business Owners

19 11/7/2016 | Community Meeting #1

Team Workshop

September 23, 2016

Team Workshop

September 23, 2016

Downtown Connectivity Howard Park Seitz Park

AGENDA

1. Welcome/Introductions
2. Project Overview

3.Parks & Trails Observations

4. Priority Areas
5. Break-Out/Group Discussion
6. Next Steps

Parks & Trails Observations

Out on the river…

Below the dam Island at Leeper Park Michigan Street Bridge

24 11/7/2016 | Community Meeting #1

HOWARD PARK (11.49 AC)
E OBSERVATIONS/COMMUNITY COMMENT

E. Jefferson Blvd • Large, flexible space
• Under-utilized/under-programmed
Existing • Consider year-round use - skating/water element
Ice Rink • Consider boating/fishing access
Memorials St. Louis Blvd • Raingardens to accommodate stormwater and
Occasional Existing Rec
flooding Building flooding
+/- 100
parking
Playground spaces

Event Space

NORTH View west to river from
Rec Building

SEITZ PARK (0.3 AC)
D OBSERVATIONS/COMMUNITY COMMENT

Colfax Ave Stephenson Mills Niles Ave • Heart of the downtown parks
Development Apts • Access is unclear
Zone • Multiple uses compete for space
• Evaluate interface with the East
East Bank Trail
Race
Office • Old chain-link fence
• Need comfort station
River Lights

Fish Ladder

Gazebo Firefighter’s
Memorial

NORTH

ISLAND PARK, PIER PARK (0.5 AC) & STIVER PARK (0.4 AC)

C OBSERVATIONS/COMMUNITY COMMENT

Lasalle Ave • Stiver Park - poor access; nothing goes on there
STIVER PARK
• Pier Park - secluded; poor visibility and access
Colfax Ave
• Island Park - tied to Century Center events;
PIER PARK sometimes closed to public; consider continuous
access

• Poor to no ADA access in all of these parks

• Signage/wayfinding

ISLAND PARK

NORTH

PLAZA PARK (5.5 AC)
A OBSERVATIONS/COMMUNITY COMMENT

Jefferson Blvd • Quiet, reflective but underutilized space
• Great views downstream and to Howard Park
• Not perceived as part of riverfront park system
• Need to better identify/improve access
• Consider activities/elements that will attract

users

NORTH

LEEPER PARK (25.7 AC)

A OBSERVATIONS/COMMUNITY COMMENT

North Shore Dr • Historically significant; diversity of
elements
Riverside DrLafayette Blvd
Michigan St • Duck pond is popular; water
Park Ln quality/health issues

• Potential fishing/observation
decks

• Potential ped bridges to North
Shore/East Bank Trail

• Potential trail south along
Riverside Drive

• Provide safe east/west ped
crossing

Future Boland Trail PINHOOK PARK (42.7 AC)

NORTH OBSERVATIONS/COMMUNITY COMMENT

• Good road/ trail access
• Community interest in restoring

beach
• Evaluate water quality issues
• Opportunity for canoe/kayak

rentals/lessons
• Consider more active

programming
• Consider ped connection to

Lasalle Landing Park

VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK (16.1 AC)
A OBSERVATIONS/COMMUNITY COMMENT

Boat Launch • Good road/trail access
• Good river access at boat launch
• Boat launch used for

fire/emergency river access
• Mature hardwoods
• Consider improved ped access

from north/east
• Potential for more active/

interpretive programming

NORTH

Connectivity Plan North
Central
Parks & Trails

• Comments/observations
on individual parks

• Inventory of existing bike
and pedestrian facilities

• Potential park and bike/
pedestrian connectivity
improvements

East

Connectivity Plan

Parks & Trails: North

Connectivity Plan

Parks & Trails: Central

Connectivity Plan

Parks & Trails: East

AGENDA

1. Welcome/Introductions
2. Project Overview
3. Parks & Trails Observations

4.Priority Areas

5. Break-Out/Group Discussion
6. Next Steps

AGENDA

1. WPerlicoormitey/IAntrroedaucstions of park
PTerholeejemfcoetlnloOtwsvseinurgcvihefrwaams terawilos raknpdlabnusilsdhinogws concepts for distribution parks.
2. within Howard and Seitz

3. Parks & Trails Observations

4.PThrieoseriatyreAnortesacasled drawings. They are intended to represent a

5. Bvhraieerarioakur-cOshpuyat/arGkmreooluenpmgDeuinssetcssu. assniodnrelationships and adjacencies between the
6. Next Steps

It is important to note that the options shown are not mutually
exclusive. Elements from one option can be combined with those
from other options (e.g. a preference for the pedestrian circulation in
Option A and the building location in Option B).

Howard Park

Existing Conditions

Variables to Consider Skating MEMORIALS
Special Feature PLAY GROUND
Concrete Wall Facility Placement
RIVERWALK
Habitat Creation
River Access EVENT SPACE
Parking

Howard Park

Framework Plan: Option A

Howard Park

Framework Plan: Option B

Howard Park

Framework Plan: Option C

Seitz Park

0.3 ac

Variables to Consider East Race
Facility Placement
Fish Ladder Parking
Bandshell
River Access

FIREMAN’S
MEMORIAL

Seitz Park

Framework Plan: Option A

FIREMAN’S
MEMORIAL

Seitz Park

Framework Plan: Option B

FIREMAN’S
MEMORIAL

Seitz Park

Framework Plan: Option C

FIREMAN’S
MEMORIAL

AGENDA

1. Welcome/Introductions
2. Project Overview
3. Parks & Trails Observations
4. Priority Areas

5.Break-Out/Group Discussion

6. Next Steps

Break-Out

Six Stations

– Howard Park
– Seitz Park
– Parks/Trails: North
– Parks/Trails: Central
– Parks/Trails: East
– General Parks

Break-Out Format

Six Stations – You can start wherever you want.

– Howard Park – There will be project team representatives at
– Seitz Park each station to lead discussion/gather feedback.
– Parks/Trails: North
– Parks/Trails: Central – We will signal every 15 minutes and encourage
– Parks/Trails: East you to move to another station.
– General Parks
– We would appreciate your feedback at each
station but you do not have to circulate through
all.

Break-Out Questions/Comments

Six Stations 1. What do you like about the options?
Options are not exclusive
– Howard Park Consider individual elements and how to combine them
– Seitz Park
– Parks/Trails: North 2. What is missing? What else would you like to see?
– Parks/Trails: Central
– Parks/Trails: East 3. How do you use/access these parks and trails?
– General Parks What route?
By car, bike or walk?

4. Where are the special spots?

AGENDA

1. Welcome/Introductions
2. Project Overview
3. Parks & Trails Observations
4. Priority Areas
5. Break-Out/Group Discussion

6.Next Steps