It’s been said that a community is only as good as the parks available for you to visit, play in, and enjoy the great outdoors. With that in mind, the City of St. Joseph — which takes great pride in the parks system it provides — would like to get your feedback regarding what you would like to see in the major parks of the community. Best of all, since many visitors also use the city’s park system, you don’t have to be a resident of St. Joseph to participate in the process.
The city has begun the process of developing Park Master Plans for Dickinson Park, Whirlpool Centennial Park, and Riverview Park. The Master Plan process will help guide the city in its development and management of these three parks in the short term and on into the future, as well.
St. Joseph officials have hired Landscape Architects and Planners (LAP Creative) based out of Lansing, to assist the city commission and staff with the project. LAP Creative has been working as a consultant for master plan projects for over 25 years and has extensive experience working with communities throughout Michigan’s Great Southwest, including the City of New Buffalo, the Village of Three Oaks, the Village of Sawyer and even the Chikaming Open Lands organization.
Where you and I get involved is through our input and involvement in developing the three Master Plans. Three separate online surveys — one for each park — have been established in order to gather input from all of us — the public at large. Again, you do not have to be a city resident in order to complete the surveys. City staff welcomes input from anyone who has used any of the three parks in the past, or plan to in the future.
Anyone can access the survey on the city’s website at www.sjcity.com or directly through the following links:
To go directly to the survey for Dickinson Park, click this link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RDYF6MK
To take your browser directly to the survey for Riverview Park, click this link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RY86M2X
To deliver input on the future of Whirlpool Centennial Park below the bluff, click this link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RY9MWTN
You are free to complete one survey, or complete all three if you desire. The online survey links will be available through Monday June 19, 2017.
In addition to giving comment through a survey, the public is invited to attend either or both of the following community workshops in order to participate and provide input in person:
Community Workshop #1:
- Tuesday May 2nd 6:00pm to 8:00pm at St. Joseph City Hall, 700 Broad Street, 2nd floor
Community Workshop #2:
- Wednesday May 31st, 6:00pm to 8:00pm also at St. Joseph City Hall, 700 Broad Street, 2nd floor
For more information about the process of completing Master Plans for these three city parks, you are welcome to contact Deputy Director of Public Works, Greg Grothous, via email at ggrothous@sjcity.com or by calling him at (269) 985-0309.
The City of St. Joseph greatly appreciates your willingness to play a role in the future of the community’s parks system in these ways.
