Members of the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees are moving ahead with the reclamation and improvement plans for Banotai Park.
During the Aug. 23 meeting, trustees approved the appointment of Township Supervisor Tim Bowman, Township Manager Tony Burdick and attorney Rob Young as representatives to review the plans and design of the park and Sherwood Pond. All plans and designs would be presented to the board members for consideration.
The board members also approved a contract with Wade Hoppe, an architect from Davenport Brothers Construction, to prepare a design and master plan along with four associated designs for the new Sumpter Township Fairgrounds at a cost of $11,500.
Young explained that the improvements at the park would be part of a 5-year plan of improvements. He said the design would be included as part of a larger plan that would eventually come before the board for approval.
Township Manager Tony Burdick explained that Carlisle, Workman and Associates (CWA) the township outside planning firm, was currently working on updating a new township master plan as the latest plan expired in December. He said there is currently a parks and recreation plan incorporated into that proposal. Burdick added that there is a survey for input from residents on township recreation needs on the township website.
In response to a question from Trustee Don LaPorte, Hoppe explained that the plans for the fairground would include phases of development and building at the site but would not include construction prices.
“The whole idea of a master plan for the fairgrounds is that you are going to stage it so that you build this piece, later add another piece and then finally add another,” Hoppe said. “We're going to get a land survey as part of the proposal then we will overlay on that survey all of the functions we want see happen. All of the pedestrian circulation, the vehicular circulation, all of those things. The idea is to build a little piece of this right now. The proposal is the gateway into it so it is the curb cut into the fairgrounds. Some landscaping from the decorative arch, signage, that sort of thing. That's the only piece we're building at this point. But when you come back to build something else, then you'll know where each of the components are supported.”
LaPorte said he was enthusiastic about the plans. “I am really interested to see all of this,” he said. I give the supervisor a lot of credit and hopefully the board can support and get behind this. It is something that is needed for the community, some place for people to meet and greet and have functions, so I think it's a good idea.”
Board members approved the contract with Trustee Peggy Morgan casting the only no vote.
