YOUR AD HERE »

New plan for an old park

Kathy Heicher

EAGLE – There’s no doubt the Eagle Town Park has been used heavily over the decades.Seventy years ago, the county fair was staged in the green space west of the county courthouse, drawing crowds from throughout the valley. Twenty years ago, the modest little park hosted town’s only softball field – and it was packed every night.Last summer, the Flight Days celebration, Centennial Pot Luck, and the popular “ShowDownTown” concert series drew hundreds of people to the park.The town is now redesigning the park and plans to emphasize events over recreation. Mayor Jon Stavney estimates the phased park renovation will take two years.The town has budgeted about $700,000 for park improvements. The following work is proposed:• Construction of a permanent stage for concerts and plays. The stage will include space for actors to change their clothing.• The playground will be enlarged, and improved.• The basketball court and public restrooms will move across the park, closer to Sixth Street.• The baseball diamond will be grassed over and become a “multi-use” field.• The tennis court will be removed and re-located.• The horseshoe pits will remain in approximately the same location.Eagle resident Debbie Beard grew up in Eagle, and says she remembers many hours of playing in the park. Now her children, who are in elementary and middle school, use that same park- and some of the same equipment that entertained Beard 30 years ago.”The kids use it – especially if they’re doing the park-library-slushy run,” she observes.Vail, Colorado


Support Local Journalism