News Source: The Parkersburg News

Belpre, Ohio - The city of Belpre is reviewing possible proposals for renovations at Civitan Park from American Structurepoint Inc., some of which include potential plans for a hotel, restaurant, riverfront boardwalk, a riverfront stage and more.

The city of Belpre announced on its Facebook page Thursday that American Structurepoint Inc. presented three options to it for upgrades, renovations and possible additions to Civitan Park.

According to photos included on Belpre’s Facebook page, one concept design proposed is called “balanced.” It includes re-striped parking; a rain garden and green space near the pond; an inclusive playground and restrooms near the high school fields; two mixed-use turf sports fields; a kayak launch; serenity gardens; and a hotel with parking near the east side of the park and Washington Boulevard behind some of the existing businesses.

Another proposed concept design is called “athletics.” It includes an overlook near the boat ramp; a floating barge on the waterfront; a rain garden and green space near the pond; re-striped parking areas; a mixed-use turf sports field, a youth sports field; sports courts near the high school fields; a hotel with parking near the east side of the park, on Washington Boulevard next to the existing businesses; and a restaurant toward the part of the park that touches Blennerhassett Avenue next to the proposed mixed-use turf sports field.

The third proposed concept design is called “pedestrian.” It includes a riverfront boardwalk that stretches from near the boat ramp to near the Civitan building; tiered seating and a riverfront stage near the end of the proposed boardwalk; a splashpad and pickleball courts with concessions nearby; a mixed-use turf sports field; an accessible kayak launch; open green space and a rain garden near the pond; open green space and serenity gardens near the east side of the park not far from the sewage treatment plant; and a hotel with parking near the east side of the park and Washington Boulevard behind some of the existing businesses.

“Exciting news for Civitan Park! … the committee is reviewing (American Structurepoint’s) recommendations, and we hope to r*oll out the final plan at the start of 2025,” the Facebook post said.

The city is working on a comprehensive park plan with the company, Mayor Susan Abdella said, but right now the plan is in its infancy so “there’s really not a lot to tell.”

A month ago the city held a day of focus groups with about 90 participating from different sporting groups, community groups and anyone that touches the park, according to Abdella.

She said the participants were from different age groups and demographics and the purpose of the focus groups was “to try to figure out what people wanted” at the park.

American Structurepoint took the data from the focus groups and started working on options for the park, she said.

Abdella said the planning for the park is in its infancy so she does not have the different options from Structurepoint in her possession and she emphasized that what American Structurrpoint proposed in the options is tentative. She said whatever the city decides to do with the park will be impacted by the city’s drinking water being located in the park and this will dictate what could possibly be put in the park.

She said the steering committee will start putting stuff together soon and she thinks it will be about another month before the plan for the park is available for the public to review.

The city of Belpre is looking at plans for the park because it is aging infrastructure, Abdella said, and it is time for the city to “look at what the community needs” and “figure out how we bring more of our people back to the park.”

Abdella said she does not have information about the cost of any options for the park or where the funding would come from and that the city needs to make sure whatever money is spent is spent on what citizens want.