A consultant hired to develop a draft of a five-year master plan for the Bartholomew County Parks system is suggesting that the closure of two parks be considered.
Ed Curtin, a planner and former city parks administrator, presented the first draft of the master plan before the Bartholomew County Park Board Thursday afternoon.
Curtin said of the 12 county parks, closing the Clifford and Elizabethtown parks was recommended because the two communities already have parks within their corporate boundaries.
Clifford Park, located on a 3-acre former school site parcel, is located east of the town of Clifford on County Road 550 North, while the park in Elizabethtown is also on 3 acres, according to the proposed master plan.
Curtin also suggested upgrading the fencing at Dunn Stadium on the fields and on the perimeter of the park, which is located on State Road 11 next to the Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds. That recommendation was made since it is a park that generates revenue for the county, he said.
Azalia Park, which has been run by the park board since 1996, is in good shape, but Curtin told the park board that it should consider replacing the playground.
For more on this story, see Saturday’s Republic.
