Planning and Design of a New Park

Investing in parks and recreational facilities is not only a proven way to improve the quality of life for a community’s residents, but it can also serve a municipality’s economic interests. Plummer Family Park opened in Edwardsville, IL, in August of 2020 and is already becoming a regional destination for tournaments and traveling athletes.

The 83-acre, $12.8 million park currently includes four baseball/softball diamonds, six multi-purpose fields, 12 pickleball courts, concession stands, restrooms, a shared-use path, and parking for 821 vehicles, including 22 ADA-compliant spaces. Additional ball diamonds, a community park space, and additional parking are planned for a future phase.

CMT began providing planning services for the new sports park back in 2016, then followed up with engineering and architectural design services beginning in 2018. Included in the efforts was a community survey, focus group interviews, a review of existing facilities, determination of a level of service and quantitative needs for each field type, a detailed operation and business plan to support the park, public presentations, and a Master Plan and project budget for a phased approach to construction. A detailed traffic analysis for the park and an adjacent commercial development was also provided. CMT went on to provide construction phase services.

PLUMMER FAMILY PARK UNDER CONSTRUCTION (Video Courtesy of the City of Edwardsville, IL)