Princeton Council is set to consider a concept plan for a complete rebuild of Community Park South. The plan will be discussed in a work session at the Council meeting on Monday night, November 27, 2023. The concept is the preferred alternative of the Princeton Recreation Commission, which has been conducting a planning process since February. Community Park South is adjacent to Route 206, behind the Municipal Building at 400 Witherspoon Street (map). Princeton Council has intended to improve the park for many years. The current planning process involved meetings with local residents and stakeholders, and two public meetings. Seven concepts for a redesign of the park were considered, and of those, ‘Concept A’ was considered the best, although the Recreation Commission suggested that Council consider several additional questions.

As shown above, the ‘Concept A’ plan retains the overall layout of Community Park South, with tennis courts on the east side, and a wide path around fields and open space in the middle. The tennis courts need to be completely rebuilt, as they are in a poor state of maintenance. Other athletic facilities would also be improved, and the dog parks that were recently added on the west side would be upgraded. Pickleball courts would become a permanent fixture at the north side, and a new children’s playground would be built. The rebuilt park would also have a ‘fitness area’, potentially with a pavilion, and sand volleyball courts. A lot of new trees would be planted, and new ‘rain gardens’ would be installed to help with stormwater retention.

Upgrades to paths would make it easier for pedestrians to cross the park, and to come in and out of nearby neighborhoods. One new path is intended to connect the north end of the park more directly to Witherspoon Street and the nearby Guyot walkway.

The Recreation Commissioners also forwarded a second concept, ‘Concept B’ to Council. This was the runner-up in their design process. Concept B would involve relocating the tennis courts to the north side of the park, close to Route 206. It would also involve constructing a new parking lot for 45 cars on the southwest part of the park, near the dog runs. This parking lot would supplement the existing Race Street parking lot, which has 117 spaces, and is the one that is currently used by many park users. The Recreation Commission noted that there may be need for additional parking in the redesigned park, but ultimately did not feel it was worthwhile to sacrifice part of the land for a new parking lot.

A further question for the new park relates to lighting. Two cost estimates were sent to Council for reconstruction of the park, should Council consider the design appropriate. The total cost without any lighting would be $24,825,600. Lighting could also be added, for the tennis courts, pickleball courts, soccer field, and softball fields. That would increase the total cost to $28,125,600. Council will presumably consider whether that increased expense is appropriate at their meeting on Monday night.

Related links:

• Meeting packet for Princeton Council Meeting of 11.27.2023, which includes the ‘Concept A’ and ‘Concept B’ plans.