Public Participation
Public participation in the planning
process was attained through several means, primarily:
-
a survey of recreation needs and
interested conducted by the Department in 1996
-
four scheduled public meetings
-
interviews with key individuals
representing various agencies
-
meetings with the Department's
staff
-
regular meetings with the Park
and Recreation Commission
-
public meetings were held as
follows:
| Date |
Location |
Number
Attending |
| October 28, 1996 |
Brown-Penn Center |
9 |
| October 29, 1996 |
City Hall |
15 |
| November 4, 1996 |
Neill Clark Center |
6 |
| December 16, 1996 |
Kenworth Area |
+/- 50 |
Principal concerns expressed in the public
meetings were for:
- service to newly annexed area (NE Hickory),
- senior facilities in the Northeast,
- traffic at Kiwanis Park,
- more soccer fields,
- bike paths - greenways,
- better access to Lake Hickory,
- security in parks,
- walking trails,
- swimming pools,
- centrally located recreation center,
- aquatics center at Ridgeview,
- beautification in all parks,
- close Highland Center, and
- convert Highland to Senior Center
The following individuals were interviewed:
- Jim Rash, President, BLAST Soccer
- Gary Hogue, CEO, YMCA
- Dr. Stuart Thompson, Superintendent, Hickory
City Schools
- Tom Lundy, Manager, Catawba County
- Joab Cotton, Recreation Commission
- Duane Barron, Ridgeview Association
- Tom Carr, Director of Planning
- Brendan Prichard, Engineering Department
- Ms. Kim Clark, Laurie Newman Tennis Memorial
- Ms. Kathy Merrill, Highland Neighborhood
Association
- Ms. Rene Icard, Highland Neighborhood
Association
- Graham Gilley, Public Services Director.
Comments from the meetings and interviews were
fully considered throughout the study.
