FRIENDS OF CURTIS MILL PARK
The plan was accepted July 24th by Newark City Council by a unanimous vote of 7-0. A master plan will be developed by Newark's Parks and Recreation Department. We offered high and lower priority items. Read below:
High priority
· Trail Head – should be the focus of the site.
· Art Garden – no dedicated space but can appear randomly throughout the site and a citizen group should be formed to review potential submissions. The art should not be permanent, rather changing on a rotating basis determined by the citizen group.
· Water Resources – again, no dedicated space but should appear randomly throughout the park in signage, plaques and informational panels.
· Gardens – no dedicated space to formal gardens but the site should have all native plants with explanatory signage and hints for growing with the importance of native plants.
· Skate Park – A small skate park should be constructed but should be out of the view from Paper Mill Road and camouflaged from the rest of the park.
· Pavilion -- is needed but should be visually striking and not the standard open pavilion building. It should have non-portable toilet restrooms. This is the site for possible field trips that can be used for water resource education, history, and native plant instruction.
· Picnic area – rather than a dedicated picnic area, picnic tables can appear randomly throughout the site.
· Last, the history of the site and of surrounding Newark history (business, industry, natural, etc) be interpreted throughout the site in interpretive panels and possibly historic markers through the Delaware Public Archives’ Historic Marker program.
Low Priority
· The idea of an amphitheater was given a low priority. The group felt outdoor performance areas already exist in Newark. If space allows a small amphitheater could be constructed.
· The group felt an area for market space is not needed and should not have a priority.
We look forward to an artists' rendering of the future park. This spring (2009) the site will undergo a soil and seed program and should begin to green as the weather warms.
We will have a flyer in each City of Newark power bill. The flyer will direct residents to the online donation program.
Thanks for being a part of "Community Pizza Night" at the Main Street Grottos.
In February rock out with Club Phred. Date and location to be determined...
Get ready for the Friends of Curtis Mill Park 5K Run/Walk to be held March 28. Visit www.races2run.com for more information.
UPDATES & MORE:
We have received some positive feedback from White Clay Creek, National Wild & Scenic River Committee. They like what we are doing! Visit them at www.whiteclay.org.
Read the full text here...
The site of the former Curtis Paper Mill is located along a prominent section of the White Clay Creek, a designated National Wild & Scenic River. The White Clay Creek Watershed Management Committee, which promotes the long-term protection of the White Clay Creek and watershed through the Wild & Scenic program, submits the following preliminary comments in regard to possible future usage of the this site. Please also note that the City of Newark, as a co-signer of the Memorandum of Understanding with the National Park Service, has pledged to support the goals of the White Clay’s Wild & Scenic program. The Management Committee supports usages consistent with our goals to:
In particular, we support the following usages, which directly address the goals shown in boldface above and indirectly address the others. Promote public awareness of the White Clay Creek Watershed’s National Wild and Scenic River designation and the exceptional ecologic, geologic, historic/cultural, recreational, and scenic resources of the watershed. Highlight information about the White Clay as a water supply source (noting in particular the City’s nearby intake, treatment plant, and reservoir) as well as the historic mill uses, including the Curtis Paper Mill. The Management Committee would be glad to partner in the development of the text and seriously consider assistance with signage costs. Create an access point for various hiking trails and recreational destinations nearby, such as Coverdale Park, White Clay Creek State Park & Preserve (and connecting trails), reservoir, and James F. Hall Trail. Utilize this highly visible creek-side location to promote watershed stewardship.
In addition we note the following potential concerns for any usages: Thank you for considering our thoughts on this site. We wish to remain actively involved as plans for the site develop and reserve the right to provide additional comments as the process evolves.
National Wild and Scenic River
Watershed Management Committee
802 Dallam Rd, Newark, DE 19711
302-731-1756
www.whiteclay.org
riveradministrator@whiteclay.org
April 30, 2008
TO: Paul Bauernschmidt
FROM: Linda Stapleford
RE: Planning for the former Curtis Paper Mill site
· Paved areas be minimized and pervious paving used when possible
· Seek moderate usage and provide parking space consistent with that level of usage
· Select creek views be protected but other riparian buffers created for other streambank areas
· No enclosed buildings be constructed within the entire floodplain.
