Master plan consultants spend a day in Thompson Park

Sep. 24—WATERTOWN — On a sunny, warm day, four consultants walked about seven miles around Thompson Park as part of an effort to come up with a blueprint for the historic city-owned landmark.

Representatives of Starr Whitehouse Landscape Architects and Planners PPLC spent the entire day on Wednesday at the park to see what it's like and what it could be like in the future.

The firm was retained by the city to develop a master plan, the first update since 1985.

Michael A. Lumbis, the city's planning and community development director, said the consultants got to see the park's landscaping and amenities. They will come up with potential ideas for Thompson Park.

"I think they got a feel for the park," he said.

In the morning, the consultants walked around the park. They also met for about 90 minutes with the Friends of Thompson Park and then got together with City Manager Kenneth A. Mix, planning department staff and members of the parks and recreation department. The consultants also continued their tour in the afternoon.

A master plan became a City Council goal in recent years while there have been increased discussions about adding amenities to the park.

The blueprint will help the city devise an overall plan for the park but also determine what kind of projects that the city should develop with $4.25 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding that it has appropriated for the green space.

The possible improvements include Thompson Park projects that have been talked about for years, but the city could not pursue without the use of its $22 million ARPA allocation.

The city would look at adding an ice rink and stage or bandstand, basketball courts, a skate park and disc golf courses in the park.

The Friends of Thompson Park was instrumental in creating the splash pad at the park four years ago. Two summers ago, the city opened a new pool at the park.

In recent years, volunteers have worked on improving the park's trail system and the city spent $50,000 to hire a landscaping company to get rid of a lot of underbrush that took over several areas of the park.

But what comes next?

That's what Starr Whitehouse will help decide.

Mr. Mix, who attended the entire all-day meeting with the consultant, said the city is shooting for next spring for a draft master plan. The city will use it to put together a list of priority projects that the should pursue with the ARPA funds.

The city would then have just two construction seasons to get them completed before an ARPA deadline, he said. Starr Whitehouse is expected to complete some drawings in the spring, he said.

The consultants also will conduct an inventory and analysis of the park, get input from the public and determine a final plan development for the study.

Calling the park the "city's treasure," Phil Sprague, chair of the Friends group, said he's encouraged by what happened on Wednesday.

It gave the Friends the opportunity to share their ideas for the park. He also was impressed with the consultants, he said.

Brian Ashley, vice chair of the Friends, stressed that the master plan needs to keep intact the park's history and how it was developed 120 years ago.

"We want the park to be a park," he said. "We don't want it to be Disneyland."

He doesn't want the park to be taken over by a lot of new amenities that would take away from its atmosphere.

The park was designed in the early 20th century by John and Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., sons of Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed New York City's Central Park and many other parks throughout the United States.

City Councilwoman Lisa A. Ruggiero said the meeting reminded her of the wading pool that was removed decades ago. The remnants of the wading pool can still be seen today, so maybe a fountain can be created in its place, she said.

She also wonders about the old bathhouse that was closed when the former pool was decommissioned several years ago. She suggested that the former bathhouse could be turned into a visitor's center, an idea that had been discussed in the past.

She, too, thinks that the historic aesthetics of the park must be maintained.

"I think it was a productive meeting," she said.

The community will have a say in the park's future as well, Mr. Lumbis said.

The consultants will be available at the park department's Fall Festival that will be held at the park on Oct. 29. The public can provide their ideas about what should be included in the master plan, he said.

Council members approved a $135,000 contract with two consultants to come up with a master plan for Thompson Park. GYMO Architecture, Engineering & Land Surveying, Watertown, is working together with Starr Whitehouse to complete the study.

Starr Whitehouse has worked on projects in Central Park and in several communities in and around New York City.

The two consultants are also working together on a master plan for Zoo New York, located in Thompson Park.

The zoo will use its master plan as it moves forward with a series of major improvements that will be paid by $1 million in ARPA funds.

The city owns the zoo's 25 acres — half of which are developed — and its buildings, while the Thompson Park Conservancy board operates the facility.