MOTIVATING PROJECTS

The Goodale Park Vision Plan includes eight major projects, referred to as the motivating projects. These projects will largely be addressed with donated funds. They will be the driving force in making the vision plan come to fruition. The motivating projects include the following:

Park Street Gate Restoration

The Park Street Gate is the last remaining historic gate in Goodale Park to be restored. The gate will be transformed into a pedestrian-only park entry and closed to vehicular access to prevent future damage to the gate. A concrete entry plaza will greet visitors as they arrive from Park Street and replace the existing sidewalk and entry drive.

Vehicular Drive Realignment

Goodale Park’s driveway will be moved from its current position at the Park Street Gate across from Russell Avenue and realigned with Poplar Avenue to the south. This move will not only protect the historic gate, but will also remove multiple vehicular/pedestrian conflicts in the park, making the southeast area a safer place to enjoy the park. In addition, the realignment straightens the driveway and allows for less pavement within the park.

Goodale Plaza

The existing plaza surrounding the Dr. Lincoln Goodale Memorial is small and uninviting. The Vision Plan aims to transform this space into a destination within the park, as well as a stopping point along multiple park walking loops. The plaza will incorporate the existing memorial bricks and through the expansion of the plaza additional memorial bricks could be added. This space could become a focal point of the East Lawn, especially during park events.

Sculpture Garden

Goodale Park’s Sculpture Garden will be situated within lawn space that is currently underused, and will become a strong edge condition separating the parks interior parking and the East Lawn. It will also become a unique experience within the park, allowing visitors to meander through tall, unmowed grasses and native wildflowers. The path system within the Sculpture Garden will be a simple mowed path which could expand into a small clearing where sculpture could be showcased. At night this space would utilize up-lighting to highlight the sculptures and provide the park with a space which is potentially more attractive during the evening than during the day. The art within the garden could be on loan from public and private institutions and could follow a set rotation cycle.

West Event Terrace And Shelterhouse Renovation

Construction of the West Terrace and renovations to the existing Shelter House will provide the park with much-needed leasable space. The suggested Shelter House renovations would include the removal of the brick infill walls along the colonnade and be replaced by glass doors in keeping with the Arts and Crafts character of the shelter. The asphalt shingle roof should also be replaced by either slate shingles or Spanish tiles, allowing the ornamental eaves brackets to become once again visible. The West Terrace construction would include parking-lot demolition and preservation of existing vegetation. The terrace proper should be paved in a material other than concrete, ideally flagstone. Additional gardens would also be created to help provide a sense of seclusion within the terrace.

Picnic Terrace

The Picnic Terrace has been envisioned as being both a permanent and temporary space. It could either utilize the existing concrete pad and have new programming pieces laid upon the surface, or it could be partially restructured, recycling some of the primary components. This space would provide needed picnic and gathering space and be comprised of additional park furniture and small-scale lawn sports such as bocce, shuffleboard, and corn-hole. This should become a space where neighbors can meet within the ambiance of a biergarten or courtyard. This is also a potentially leasable space.

Strolling Loop Path

The Strolling Loop Path is considered part of the parks secondary circulation path system. It could be constructed either gradually or at one time depending on interest and funds. As it is primarily intended for leisurely use by both walkers and joggers, it does not need to be heavily structured in the way that the primary circulation paths would be. This path could be comprised of a simple gravel, decomposed granite, or other earthen material. This path is an opportunity to incorporate additional memorial benches along its edge.