The final design of River Mill Park is now in the hands of Huntsville town council, after the community was given one final opportunity to provide input last week.

At the parks and recreation committee meeting on April 23, residents addressed the committee with comments and concerns about the two concept drawings, which had been put on display at town hall earlier in the month.

“I think the public likes what they’re seeing,” park services co-ordinator Mark Flynn told the Forester. “In fact it’s quite funny, the public input is almost split down the middle of concept A and concept B.”

Flynn explained that the main difference between the two designs is the location of the playground and walking path.

He added that he believes the public is pleased with the idea of a lot of open space in the park, with trees for shade and lower-maintenance perennial gardens.

At the meeting last week, about 15 residents showed up to address the committee about the park.

Local resident Don Baker told the committee he was concerned about the location of the parking lot in the drawings.

“The parking lot fragments the whole park in my mind,” he told the committee, suggesting they move the lot further to the west.

Huntsville mayor Claude Doughty replied that, although that comment had been heard from numerous people, the parking lot could not be moved at this point “without significant cost” because the underground work had already been completed.

He added that the lot should remain where it is because, from a planning perspective, having the River Mill parking lot directly across the street from the existing Royal Bank parking lot would not work well.

“A pretty consistent theme in urban design is that you break up your large asphalt areas with green spaces,” he said.

When questioned about the land that had originally been slated as being for future development, Doughty told the audience that it still could be developed one day, but assured them that would not happen in this term of council.

“I think our council is committed to leaving it a green space. I know our council is,” he said.

Questions were also asked about the condition of the town docks.

Local resident and former waterfront park committee co-chair John Crockett stated that in the former River Mill budget there was approximately $500,000 to reinforce the docking and asked whether there were still any plans for “replacing the plywood that’s (currently) holding up the shoreline.”

Doughty replied that pieces of pre-cast concrete would be used behind the docks along the shoreline to prevent erosion.

Community services director Brian Crozier added that a contractor has been working on the surface and subsurface structure of the town docks.

He said that portions of the dock in front of where the old Navco restaurant sat appear to be in pretty good condition, but the contractor has not be able to examine the full length of the dock due to current high water levels.

Crozier said some structural issues are expected to be found and a budget is being put together to remediate those problems.

Now that all public comments have been received, Flynn told the Forester that council would vote on a concept for the park.

He said the town’s landscape architect MMM Group will create construction drawings, and then there will be a tender process to award the work.

Flynn said at this point he anticipates the earliest start date for construction of the park to be June 23.

When asked if a special council meeting was being planned to discuss the park, Doughty told the Forester that it was not being considered at this time.

The next regular council meeting is scheduled for May 12.

With files from Brent Cooper.