What needs to go, change to update this Happy Valley park? Here’s how to share your vision
To help guide what a neighborhood park in Happy Valley could look like in the coming years, Ferguson Township is hosting an event to gather feedback.
Many of the parks in Ferguson Township have their own master plan, Jaymes Progar, assistant manager of Ferguson Township, said, which provides guidance on what the township envisions for the park. Though a 2004 survey mapped out the existing amenities of Greenbriar Saybrook Park and identified some of the infrastructure, the township hasn’t developed a comprehensive master plan for the park.
The township has contracted consultant HRG to undergo a new assessment of the Recreation, Parks and Open Space Plan, and will develop master plans for Greenbriar Saybrook and Fairbrook parks, Progar said.
Residents and others can provide input on what they want to see in the Greenbriar Saybrook park during an event held on Wednesday. They’ll use “red dot/green dot” exercises to help designers and landscape architects identify what goes, stays and changes within the park, Progar wrote in an email.
Community engagement is an important component, Centrice Martin, township manager, said.
“That’s considered to be really important because it helps us learn a little bit more about what amenities are desired by the neighborhood residents that are living within the properties that are up against that property,” Martin said.
This specific park is considered a neighborhood park, especially for the residents of the Greenbriar Saybrook developments. Over the years, the demographics of those living in the area have changed and the township’s parks and recreation committee recently received feedback from those residents. Martin said there’s been a lot of support for different amenities within the park.
“By developing a master plan for Greenbriar Saybrook Park, the township can better meet the needs of residents and park-goers in a neighborhood that is seeing some change in demographic with younger families moving into the area,” Progar wrote in an email.
The park, located at 1386 N. Foxpointe Drive, State College, features a playground, horseshoe pit, a basketball court, pavilions, a charcoal grill and a walking path, according to the township’s website. But the playground is a bit outdated, Martin said. The township’s draft 2023-2027 Capital Improvement Plan includes a playground equipment update at Greenbriar Saybrook Park.
“This is an item that made its way to the CIP as a result of the neighborhood residents requesting for this park to have some updated amenities. If you go out and you look at the playground, it’s a pretty outdated playground set,” Martin said. “It’s a beautiful landscape and there’s just been a lot of various interests in trying to have this park updated.”
Provide comments at Municipal Mixer
Residents can submit feedback as part of a “municipal mixer” planned for 4:30-6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Greenbriar Saybrook Park.
The event will also feature a number of cycling related activities, including a training course by the Ferguson Township Police, assistance with bike registrations from the Penn State Transportation Services and Penn State Bike Den, and a mechanic from The Bicycle Shop will be there to help with maintenance checks on bicycles. Attendees can also learn about Penn State’s Spin e-Bike Share Program.
The Ferguson Township Public Works Department will also host a “Touch-A-Truck” portion of the event for younger attendees to participate in a hands-on experience of exploring a public works vehicle, a press release stated. Food and drinks will be available for purchase at food trucks.
What’s next?
After gathering feedback, HRG will take that into consideration and create conceptual scenarios. A draft master plan will then be presented to the township supervisors.
Progar estimated the master plan will be accepted in late 2022 and implementation will begin in 2023.
This story was originally published August 2, 2022 at 12:31 PM.
