Historic Hyde Park Neighborhood Association

Work Begins At Kate Jackson Park

Mar 08, 1999

At Last!

After several years of fund-raising by a dedicated group of volunteers led by Randy Hollingworth, preliminary site preparation at Kate Jackson Park began on Tuesday, January 26, 1999. Hollingworth's group finally cut through the last of the red tape in early January, pulled the permits, and secured two significant donations to aid in the completion of the project. Neighborhood residents should expect to see a flurry of activity in the weeks to come.

A temporary fence will be constructed inside the perimeter of the existing fence to shield construction from the park interior. Once that is completed, the old chain link fence will be removed. A neighborhood resident recently donated the money needed to remove the sidewalk from the entire park perimeter. Once that is complete, the Parks Department has agreed to build the new sidewalk.

A new six-foot tall decorative wrought-iron fence and wall will sit further from the road than the existing fence. This will allow for a new green space between the sidewalk and the new wall and also accommodate a line of oak trees along Rome Avenue. The new fence will continue down Morrison and Packwood Avenues.

A play area and water fountain similar to the one at Lowry Park will be located in the park. It will consist of a 25 foot diameter circle of pavement and bricks on the ground shaped to drain toward the center. Several concrete lions will add to the enjoyment for children and give the fountain an interesting look. A line of palm trees will ring the fountain.

Construction should take several months to complete. The park improvements will turn the park into a community centerpiece. Neighbors should be grateful that this dedicated group of volunteers had the vision and tenacity to bring the project to the construction phase.

By: Patrick Johnson