Boardwalks and walking paths have been constructed around the two lakes on the west side of the park located at 8558 Beckett Road, which is scheduled to be completed mid- to late-summer, said Tim Franck, the township’s community services director.
The boardwalk will allow visitors to walk over the wetland areas connecting users to the grass trails in the park, which is the township’s largest park facility, he said.
The Phase III project, which began with installing a $280,000 handicap accessible Boundless Playground and building a shelter to the east side of the park before moving over to the west side, is being funded with a $250,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, $135,000 grant from Boundless Playground, and $1.7 million from the township’s Tax Increment Financing Fund, he said.
The west side of the 150-acre park is the area where most of the work has occurred, according to Barb Wilson, West Chester’s public information and marketing officer.
“The things on the east side have been in development over a period of years,” she said.
The upgrades to Beckett Park began in 2005 to develop it from vacant land into a community park, according to Franck.
“We’ve gone through phases and we’re trying to wrap up Phase III — that began in the summer of 2010 — right now,” he said.
“We were hopeful that we could get it completed in 2011, but the weather didn’t cooperate so we got a late start, and then we had a lot of rain at the end of the year too. It’s 95 percent complete. We’re just trying to wrap up some of the loose ends. Then they’ll be some weather related things we’ll have to do. We’ll have to do some seeding, some planting and landscaping in the spring as well.”
The total cost of the upgrades, which includes all three phases is $5.7 million, Franck said.
A grand opening is being planned this summer to showcase the latest park upgrades.
“It’s not closed. People can park and they drive on the west side. The bathrooms are all on timers so they’re open. They’re people using the facility, we’re just not letting people drive back there and park,” he said.
“We haven’t had a grand opening, but it is available for people to use. It’s a very nice amenity.”
Contact this reporter at (513) 483-5219 or dewilson@coxohio.com.
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