Wick Park workshop draws 80 participants

By Sean Barron

Making use of solar energy and having more concerts were some of the ideas discussed.

YOUNGSTOWN — For Tyler Clark, an improved Wick Park would mean things like more outdoor concerts, playgrounds and a variety of family-oriented events.

“I’d [also] like to see the fountain be active again, and do some sports-related stuff,” the Youngstown man added.

Clark, along with his children, Ridley, 4, and 6-year-old Boston, was one of about 80 people to attend Wick Park Revitalization Community Design workshop Saturday at Park Vista Retirement Community, 1216 Fifth Ave., on the city’s North Side.

The session, sponsored by Youngstown CityScape, Defend Youngstown and the city, was the first of three and was designed to explore ways to revitalize the park and surrounding neighborhoods, as well as to gather ideas on what people feel the area needs.

The workshop also included breakout groups in which attendees discussed what they think are vital short- and long-term goals and needs.

One of the speakers was Anthony Kobak, chief planner for the city of Youngstown, who pointed out that a component of the Youngstown 2010 plan includes individual strategies, with community input, to address the needs of the city’s 127 neighborhoods. The city planning commission has come up with comprehensive plans for three so far, including the Garden District on the West Side, he said.

Those who attended broke into three groups to come up with strategies they feel will improve the park and nearby areas.

Working with the local efforts is Terry Schwarz, senior planner with Kent State University’s Urban Design Center of Northeast Ohio. Calling Wick Park “a regional asset,“ Schwarz was on hand to collect feedback from residents and others.

Short- and long-term ideas included restoring the water fountain; better maintaining the park and its paths; increasing the number of outdoor events and activities; making more use of solar lighting and recycling; hiring an arborist to, among other things, remove dead foliage; adding a separate portion for dogs; upgrading exercise stations; bringing in public artwork; and replacing concrete surfaces with safer, rubber ones.

Other needs expressed included removing some metal signs and barriers for drivers; stepping up foot patrols and security; revamping the bandstand; adding vendors; and having stricter code enforcement for nearby homes.

Many in the group said they feel an important step is to reinforce the reality that the park is for everyone.

Giving a brief history of the park was Ron Faniro of Ronald Cornell Faniro Architects of Youngstown. Faniro, who’s also co-chairman of the Youngstown CityScape Heritage Committee, explained that much development and planting occurred in the 1920s, and that summer concerts got under way a decade later. In the late 1950s, the Wick Park Recreation Center was finished, at a cost of roughly $80,000, he continued.

Talks that led to the workshop began six to eight months ago with Leadership Mahoning Valley’s Class of 2007 and others, said Phil Kidd, director of downtown events.

No dates have been set for the next meetings.