By Taylor Wooten for the Daily Journal
Construction is set to start this year on Bargersville’s long-awaited Kephart Park.
The 19-acre plot of land located west of the Morningside subdivision on County Road 144 has been planned as a park since 2015. The park project was estimated to cost about $9 million and take place over four phases. Now plans for Kephart Park have been streamlined to be complete in one phase and cost between $4 and $5 million.
The $9 million estimate provided by Indianapolis engineering consulting firm Shrewsberry and Associates LLC was all-encompassing, before the plans were scaled down to speed up the process and save money, said Susie Qualls, town council member.
The updated design includes two shelter houses with grills, restrooms, eight pickleball courts, a recreational area, a splash pad and Morningside Path, Qualls said. As part of a fiber internet expansion with Metronet and Johnson County Fiber, Kephart Park will also be the first park in Bargersville with WiFi, said Kevin Killinger, town utilities manager.
The biggest cost cutting measure was removing a community center that was in the original plan, said Keith Cecil, head of the town’s parks advisory board.
“It has taken some time to work out the funding, what the park would entail, and making it logistically work,” Cecil said.
Renderings were unveiled in late February during the town’s first state of the town address, which can be viewed on the town’s YouTube channel. The final plan differs from the way Kephart Park was envisioned in the Vision 2040 plan, a non-binding 20-year plan for the town released in summer of 2020. The initial plan included six park shelters, an outdoor entertainment venue, and a climbing or challenge element as well as the trail and playground.
The changes were made to help speed up the process. The need for progress on Bargersville’s parks was emphasized by the pandemic, Qualls said.
“The pandemic, I think, kind of pushed it forward more than anything because at that point, you realize the importance of having a park and having outdoor spaces,” Qualls said.
Cecil also felt the increased demand from residents during the pandemic.
“Based on the feedback from our fast growing community, we are really in need of a park now,” Cecil said.
A 2021 study that was completed for Bargersville’s 5-year parks master plan also played a part in moving up the timeline. The study shows the town has a good amount of parkland, but not enough literal greenspace. It also reveals that Bargersville residents want a more robust park and trail system.
“This really validated the need to move forward with this exciting addition to Bargersville,” Cecil said.
The town initially planned to cut costs by sending the park and the trail, Morningside Path, to bid as one project. But later town officials found it would be more expedient to separate the two projects. Now, both have been sent out for bids.
Construction should begin at the park in May. If all goes well, the park could be completed as soon as early 2023, Qualls said.
The work at the site of the park so far has just been some tree clearing for the trail, Cecil said. Work was originally expected to begin on the trail last year, but the roundabout project being planned at County Road 144 and Saddle Club Road pushed the project back, to make sure the trail wouldn’t be built only to be rebuilt in another spot.
The council is considering using the town’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, along with bonds and utility resources to pay for the park. The town will receive about $1.8 million million in ARPA funds, according to Indiana Finance Authority.
A vote on the ARPA funds is expected to take place at the Tuesday evening council meeting.
The council approved an increase of the park impact fee for developers, which collects money to fund the town’s park system. The new fee is $1,580 per home or apartment unit developed and is projected to raise $3.3 million by 2030. The new fee doesn’t take effect until June, so it won’t be an immediate help for Kephart Park.
