A new regional sports park may come to Lancaster County. Here’s the conversation.
The next step for Lancaster County recreation may soon be an 85-acre regional park.
The county hasn’t purchased a site, but is evaluating one for purchase. It’s in the area of U.S. 521 and S.C. 5.
“We’re doing our due diligence on the property right now,” said Hal Hiott, parks and recreation director for the county.
The regional park also could lead to change at some of the smaller, lesser-used recreation sites in the county.
On Tuesday night, Lancaster City Council met. The agenda included discussion on two city properties related to the larger regional park.
The Woodland Hills tennis courts on Suttle Road and Morningside Park on Morningside Drive sit outside city limits. Both got funding in the mid 1970s from the National Park Service land and water conservation fund.
That funding required the sites be maintained for public recreation unless the park service approves an equal or larger substitute location for the funding. The county now wants to convert the restrictions on those sites to the new regional park.
The smaller sites wouldn’t then be eligible for future park service grants. Hiott said the county found three or four parks in a similar state.
“Back in the 70s and early 80s, there was federal money that was used to develop and buy these small pocket parks,” he said. “Right now you’re kind of limited on what you can do with those parks.”
The small parks that could transition to something else in the future get little use now.
“It’s just a basketball goal and picnic table in somebody’s back yard, and it’s landlocked,” Hiott described one such park.
As more people move into Lancaster County, particularly the panhandle, the county has to think bigger. In 2018 Lancaster County voters approved a $19 million bond package for recreation. The proposal included an addition to the Indian Land Recreation Center, Harrisburg Road and Heath Springs soccer complexes, improvements at the Lindsay Pettus Greenway and work at the Barr Street Auditorium.
Hiott said the county already started work with design firms on bond projects. In a month or so the main design phase will start, ahead of bids for construction. That work continues even as more and more people arrive in the area.
“We’re really busy,” Hiott said. “We’re busting at the seems.”
In mid-2018 the U.S. Census Bureau estimated Lancaster County had more than 95,000 residents. That figure is up 24% from the most recent official census in 2010.
For the regional park, the county would look beyond even its own residents.
“It would serve the whole county, plus for tourism purposes,” Hiott said.
Early thoughts include three or four baseball/softball fields and as many for soccer or lacrosse. Open space, an amphitheater, playgrounds and more are possibilities. County residents could use the park for sports leagues or leisure. Travel tournaments could come in on the weekends to provide revenue.
The county could use hospitality tax money on such a park, based on the tournaments. Hospitality tax is a charge on food and drink. Revenue has to go to projects promoting tourism.
“It would have to have a tourism component tied in,” Hiott said.
Hiott emphasized it’s still early in the planning process.
“The first step is we’re doing some due diligence,” he said.
Hiott said there isn’t a set timeline for, should the county buy the site, when construction might start or a park open.
“We’re just trying to plan for the future,” he said.
