Friends of Tietze Park Foundation

Where are those improvements, anyway?

Jan 16, 2006

by Kelly Nash, FOTPF President.
Some of you who?’ve heard me speak at the park or neighborhood meetings over the last couple years, about the wonderful things coming for Tietze Park, may be starting to wonder - when is this bright future going to get here anyway? You might see me doing the ?“Tietze Shuffle?” ?– two steps forward and one step back. If you paid into our kitty for an inscribed brick, you may be wondering when you?’ll see it installed at the park.

The city-wide bond election in 2003 authorized the sale of bonds to raise $577,000 for design and construction of improvements needed at Tietze Park. The election specified that the pavilion should be restored and the lighting should be improved throughout the park. Remaining funds, if any, will be used to start work on a menu of improvements (see below) that were established in Master Plan meetings with neighbors and interested park users, sponsored by the Friends of Tietze Park Foundation in 2004. The Park Department hired Marcel Quimby Architecture/Preservation, Inc., to lead those meetings, and she herded us through the process of conflicting priorities until we arrived, in November, 2004, at a Master Plan that?’s illustrated on the facing page (for legibility, only the middle part of the park is shown).

Where are we now?

After several contracting and planning delays, the project is again moving ahead. Final construction documents are being prepared for Park Board approval in February. Bids will go out in early spring and a contract for construction should be in place by the end of June, with construction scheduled to begin in July and finish by the end of 2006.

Installation of benches and tables throughout the park, and of the inscribed bricks in the plaza area, will probably take place near the end of construction of the improvements. The Friends of Tietze Park will be seeking to close the gap this year in our efforts to raise the necessary $20,000 that we?’ve committed to (freeing up city funds for other needs). In addition, we?’ll be working with the city and with all interested parties to continue to improve, preserve, and beautify the park.

Tietze Park Master Plan Components

1. Restore the pavilion, including concession stand.
2. Add lighting at various locations in park.
3. Redesign plaza to eliminate drainage problems and reduce the extent of concrete.
4. Redesign and widen sidewalk at promenade.
5. Maintain portable toilets, add screen and paving.
6. Add water fountain & hand sink at portable toilets.
7. Add tables and benches throughout park (to be provided by Friends of Tietze Park Foundation).
8. Add toddler playground and equipment.
9. Provide new metal fence around pool, add ground cover, redesign pool surround & green space.
10. Add shade trees around playgrounds.
11. Protect special bois d?’arc trees; add signage and
structural support.
12. Curbs at crosswalks on Skillman.
13. Improve drainage issues throughout park.
14. Add enlarged sidewalks from softball field to Clements Street.
15. Replace sidewalks at Vanderbilt, Clements and Llano Streets with jogging trail.
16. Add buffer fence along Skillman Street.