Highland Heights heard from Scott Siefker from the Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group at Tuesday night’s city council meeting about a newly proposed greenspace study that began in spring 2023. The proposal, which is broken down into four phases, would cost the city $4.6 million for all four phases.
The study discussed potential new additions to the city’s park over a five- to 10-year span, such as new playgrounds, spaces for sports activities and an outdoor event space.
The project kicked off in May 2023 with a public open house that allowed citizens from Highland Heights to weigh in on the proposed new park activities, branding and park needs of the citizens across many age ranges.
From June to August of 2023, an online survey was released, which received 19 individual responses with input from Highland Heights citizens. Following the survey, the design group met with a steering committee and then later the city council and city staff to present the proposed projects.
The proposed infrastructure, named “The Commons at Highland Heights,” detailed four different additions that the city could choose to add: Greenway Commons, Community Commons, Central Commons and Recreational Commons.
Greenway Commons will bring a new nature trail along with interactive art surrounded by added greenery.
Community Commons will feature a new kids playground, an outdoor performing arts space, new picnic areas and an expanded “grand lawn” along with a kids recreation lawn. The space would also feature a new veterans memorial.
Central Commons will bring ping pong and bocce ball, in addition to boulder climbing and gathering spaces, such as swing seating and fire pits.
Right next door to Central Commons is Recreational Commons, which will offer fan-favorite sports activities like tennis and pickleball courts, batting cages, a basketball court and a gathering area.
The implementation of the project’s four phases would start with Greenway Commons and Veteran Memorial for Phase A, Central Commons for Phase B, Community Commons for Phase C and Recreational Commons for Phase D.
Highland Heights city council would then later need to vote on each proposal of the four phases: phase A at $1.2M, phase B at $962,600, phase C at $1.8M and phase D at $665,258.