BY CINDY SCHROEDER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Planned entrance to the Taylor Mill Community Park on Old Taylor Mill Road.
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TAYLOR MILL -- While some Kenton County cities have squabbled over park plans, or how to pay for them, the city of Taylor Mill is moving ahead with the development of a 68-acre park on a former sheep farm.
Since purchasing the land a year ago, the city has held at least three meetings to solicit residents' opinions on how to develop Taylor Mill's first park. The contract to build the first phase of the park was awarded last week.
In contrast with Crescent Springs, where some residents recently engaged in heated debates with council over how to develop a park, and Villa Hills, where a proposed recreation tax has divided city council and the community, Taylor Mill has had little or no opposition to its proposed park, city officials say.
"As long as everyone understands what you're doing, that makes a big difference," said Taylor Mill Commissioner Afton Kordenbrock. "We had meetings for people to have input. We gave them proposals of how the park would look, and we tried to incorporate (the public's suggestions) into the improvements."
More young families
Since 1990, Taylor Mill's population has grown from 5,500 to about 7,000, city officials said.
"Over the years, we had grown with so many young families that we desperately needed recreational facilities for the families, as well as for our senior citizens," said Taylor Mill Commissioner Barb Black.
The as yet unnamed park is being developed on Taylor Mill Road across from Carol Drive at an estimated cost of $1 million.
In response to residents' requests, the park will include six walking trails, including some accessible to the disabled, said Taylor Mill Administrator Jill Cain.
"When we first started talking about the park, our residents said they really wanted walking trails," Ms. Cain said. Many of the town's older streets lack sidewalks, she said, while some streets have sidewalks on one side only.
Because of the shortage, it's not uncommon to spot residents walking or jogging along curvy, high speed roads, such as Taylor Mill Road and Old Taylor Mill Road, Ms. Cain said.
Money for the park will come from Taylor Mill's capital improvement funds, grants and donations.
"One of the big differences between our park project and some of the others (in Northern Kentucky) was in the way we approached this," said Ms. Black, who spent 3 1/2 years securing land for the park. "We are phasing it in (over three years), and doing only what we can afford to do, without raising taxes."
Price could fall
Last week, the Taylor Mill City Commission awarded a contract to House Construction Services for development of the first phase of the park.
While the contract is for $253,074, city officials expect to lower that figure to about $215,000 through changes that include the removal of a drop-off curve and having city employees handle seeding.
Ms. Black said the city also has been able to avoid controversy by leaving about 50 of the park's 68 acres as green space.
Work will begin in early August on the first phase, and it is expected to be finished by late December. The initial phase includes grading, construction of a gateway entrance, development of part of a walking trail, 45 parking spaces, and the purchase of picnic tables, benches, trash cans and some playground equipment.
Future phases during the three-year project call for construction of a shelter, additional parking, a basketball court, landscaping, seeding, grading, the completion of six walking trails to form a 1.5 mile loop around the park, a soccer field, sand volleyball court and more picnic tables, benches and trash cans.
A committee of local businesspeople also has agreed to help raise money for a toddler playground and restrooms, both of which will be included in the first phase if enough money can be raised. Development of the walking trails will be done in part with a $20,000 matching state grant announced last week by Gov. Paul Patton. "I'm excited that we're finally going to be able to break ground," Ms. Black said. "The mayor and commissioners and I are just firm believers of quietly getting the job done."
