Residents discuss Ephrata parks

Cameron Probert/ Columbia Basin HeraldGreg Brower, a principal for the Berger Partnership, presents the plans for Ephrata Parks on Monday

by Cameron Probert<br>Herald Staff Writer
| November 19, 2008 8:00 PM

Oasis, Lee and the Sports Complex drafts presented

EPHRATA - Ephrata residents saw the first concepts for the Sports Complex, Oasis and Lee parks at a meeting Monday.

The meeting was part of creating the Ephrata Parks Master Plan. The plan started after a survey done by the University of Idaho found people wanted improvements to their parks.

The city contracted the Berger Partnership, a Seattle-based landscape architecture firm, to design the new parks. Greg Brower, a principal with the firm, presented two concepts for Oasis and Lee parks and three for the Sports Complex.

"The idea is to kind of look at these and not to look at them and say, 'Yep, that is the plan,'" he said. "We're looking for feedback (like), 'Yeah this is headed in the right direction, but you know what I would do? I would take some of that and put of some of that here."

Andy Mitton, a member of the firm, said they looked at the park as a system, with each park filling a need in the community. The plans for Oasis Park would make it a gateway into the city. Both plans contained a walkway around the pond in the park. They would also put an island in the center for people to row out to.

"Potentially we could put in a wildlife garden (near the pond)," Mitton said.

One plan would put a recreation center on the other side of the road, along with a competition sized soccer field.

"There's a lack of places to play football," Mitton said. "We'll have to have a way for people to safely cross Basin (Street)."

The other plan would replace the recreation center with a park like setting with a series of loop trails. Mitton said the idea came from discussion about the existing trees being an asset.

The three variations for the Sports Complex included organizing the parking at the park.

"We wanted to put some structure to the parking lot," Brower said. "There was a lot of talk about cleaning (the parking lot) up. We've got to do something better with (the lot)."

The first would leave the existing restrooms in the middle of the park, and make it a more central part of the park. Brower said this would continue the city's "legacy of trees."

"This would be a real passive approach," he said. "It would be a nice place for festivals."

The second plan would eliminate the rest rooms and construct a recreation center at this park. They would also move the skate park along A Street. It also would clear the center of the park for soccer fields. The third plan would include a gazebo and an outdoor amphitheater and move the skate park next to A Street.

Several people supported the idea of adding a recreation center at one or the other parks. Janice Moore, an Ephrata resident, said she wanted to see more performance space.

Ephrata Recreation Director Ray Towry said the recreation centers were not necessarily simply sports related. They could include performance space.

Lee Park did not receive many changes, Mitton said. Two plans rearrange some of the same elements, including rocks for kids to climb on and it could include a climbing wall.

A final draft will be presented in February for public input.