Photo by Neal Embry.
This land, located at the intersection of Saulter Road and South Wellington Road, will soon be made into a pocket park.
At the Dec. 5 meeting of the city of Homewood’s planning and development committee, Jane Reed Ross with Goodwyn Mills Cawood discussed proposed plans for the forthcoming pocket park on Saulter Road.
“We have always envisioned this as a passive pocket park for people who live in the neighborhood,” Councilor Barry Smith said.
The plans were unveiled following an earlier public meeting where residents could give their thoughts on what should be included at the park.
Plans include multiple grassy areas, a playground area, swings and a climbing structure, Ross said. A rendering also showed a log tunnel and seating with a shade sail. Various types of trees will also be planted at the park to reforest the area, she said. More can always be added in the future as well.
New sidewalks on Saulter Road will connect the park to the city’s sidewalk and crosswalk network in the area. Stairs are proposed to allow visitors to access the top part of the park.
Intended for people in the immediate area, there will be just one handicap-only parking spot at the park, Ross said.
A safety fence will also be built, Ross said.
The city budgeted about $285,000 for the project and the projected cost of the park as proposed is “in the neighborhood of $280,000,” Ross said.
The plan is for the city to go to bid for the project in March 2023. Once construction starts, it should take about three months to complete, Ross said.
