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Politics & Government

Milton Reveals Plans for its Parks, Trails

Birmingham Park would add ball fields and a community center in the long term, but short-term plans would include expanding Bell Memorial Park.

Birmingham Park would add fields for baseball, soccer and lacrosse, plus tennis, basketball and volleyball courts in a draft master plan for the park. Of course being an equestrian community, acres of space and even more for trails would be set aside.

The city revealed the master plan draft for its parks and trails on Monday, April 16 in City Hall. The plans for and additions to other parks were part of the plan. It is a 30-year plan that splits park development into long and short term system improvements, and developed with community input.

"There's a fundamental question when you develop a master plan.  What you have, what you want, what you need," said Chris Kingsbury, a plan consultant from Moreland Altobelli Associates. "These are some sketches of what this could look like. These are the city's needs. And from that, the master plan alters."

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Short Term Plan (2012-2015)

In the short term, the plan developed by the consultants with citizen input would , adding three more ball fields, small picnic shelters, more batting cages and even more parking to support the new fields. That would cost an estimated $2.4 million.

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Renovating the Crabapple Community Center and making improvements to Providence Park would cost another $2.5 million. And adding community parks at Crabapple Crossing and Deerfield/Webb Road would cost $1 million, making the short term total at $5.9 million.

Mid-Term Plan (2016-2020)

Milton would spend $15 million to develop recreation fields, a community center, equestrian trails and other facilities at Birmingham Park. It would also spend $1.5 million developing village greens in this draft plan.

Birmingham Park's recreational features

  • two 300’ lighted baseball fields,
  • four 250’ lighted baseball fields,
  • four lighted soccer/lacrosse fields,
  • four lighted basketball/multi-use courts,
  • four lighted tennis courts,
  • and two sand volleyball courts.

Park trails

  • 12 foot wide mutli-use paved trail (1/2 mile loop),
  • 10 foot multi-use trails,
  • un-paved biking trails.

"The multi-use trails you would see in Birmingham Park are for combined bicycle and pedestrian," explained David Gjertson. The various trails connect to "all of the city of Milton." 

The park also has 7-8 acres of equestrian facilities and 70-80 acres of trails that are approved for horseback riding.  The equestrian facilities include trailer parking, a pony ring, small stables and tie-up areas, barns, and unpaved equestrian trails.

"We try to give the equestrians their own area because there are things that do not go well with equestrians.  But if you're walking on a trail with a baby in a stroller, you can go and see the horses and see what they're up to."

In addition to these recreational areas, the new park will have:

  • Community Center Complex (5,000 – 10,000 S.F)
  • Trailhead Building with restrooms mountain biking trails
  • Large concession/press box building
  • Small concession building
  • Trails overlook structure with restrooms
  • Two (2) large picnic shelters
  • Nine (9) small picnic shelters
  • Stage/amphitheatre
  • Parking (paved and non-paved overflow)

One man in the audience asked, "I basically grew up in that park area. I'll be dead in four years.  How can we use the park now?" 

"Birmingham Park has to be used for a number of recreational services.  There are some issues with access points and maintenance.  [But] there's no reason why you can't use the park now," Gjertson said

Another audience member commented that she had already started going to the park and that the access points were fine.

Another question asked was, "One of the needs that the public survey said it needed was areas for functions [such as festivals and concerts]."

"On the Birmingham Park plan, we indicated an area for an amphitheater and other urban areas for other events as well," Gjertson said.

Long-Term Plan (2021-2030)

Milton would need to acquire 251 more acres of park land to meet its needs, according to the consultants. This would cost between $48 million and $108 million.

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