COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) - Trees Columbus has partnered with the Columbus Parks & Recreation Department to improve city parks, and they are asking for the public's help with the plan.
While the exact figure for the project is not yet set, Trees Columbus said at a morning announcement at Lakebottom Park that the tree canopy restoration and rehabilitation effort will be a "multi-million dollar" project.
The project will begin with Lakebottom and Theo McGee parks.
To help identify what the community needs, Trees Columbus is asking the public to complete a survey about how people use Lakebottom Park and its amenities.
"Columbus is marketing outdoor green spaces to our residents and to visitors, and using them as a marketing tool for attracting people to our community" said Dorothy McDaniel, executive director of Trees Columbus, in a news release.
McDaniel said while the city has a lot of outdoor spaces to promote, this maintenance and revitalization is important.
"Trees are fundamental to our park and green spaces, but our Columbus tree canopy is aging and declining. Turning Columbus' vision of fabulous outdoor spaces into a reality will require public private partnership and a lot of input from Columbus residents," McDaniel said.
The 10 question survey, now live on the Trees Columbus website, will stay live until July 13. Trees Columbus will then collect and analyze the data.
"It's the Trees Columbus mission to help create a healthy tree canopy, but we need Columbus residents to tell us what they want and need from these park spaces so we can plant the future tree canopy for success."
Trees Columbus and Columbus Parks & Recreation will use the results to finalize their plans -- and help settle on a final price tag.
"Because of budget constraints, Columbus parks have been maintained by not enhanced," McDaniel said. "As part of Columbus' 'Connected and Vibrant Spaces,' the parks are vital to turning those words into reality."
"Connecting people to outdoor spaces is important to economic and human health. In today's society this is more important than ever before. The goal of the survey is to get as much input as possible from our community. The parks belong to the people of the community; therefore, the more input we receive, the beter the final product will be."
Trees Columbus and Columbus Parks & Rec are aiming for a project completion date in fall of 2022.
The survey focuses on how you use Lakebottom Park now and how you would like to use it in the future. Some ideas contained for the park's redevelopment include the possibility of renovating the banks of Weracoba Creek, and the addition of a splash pad and dog park.
The survey also includes questions about how they might incorporate the Dragonfly Trail System into Lakebottom. The Dragonfly Trail is already seeing a $2 million project to upgrade ramps on the RiverWalk and connect it to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Trail.
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