Country club advisory team sees snapshot of development from CityVisions and Gamble Associates

ByMatthew Crane Reading Time: 3 minutes

Jasper — The City of Jasper Country Club Advisory Team met with CityVisions Associates and Gamble Associates on Tuesday.

Barry Alberts with CityVisions Associates of Louisville, KY, and David Gamble with Gamble Associates of Boston, MA, presented their site observations of the country club property for the advisory team at the meeting.

The two firms have been contracted to develop a plan for the country club property as well as develop the Jasper Downtown Master Plan.

The meeting provided the team with an overview of the topography of the country club and a broad view of options available to the community for the development of the property.

Alberts displayed various golf courses that had been closed and redeveloped for other uses by communities around the United States. The courses had been developed at varying degrees bookended by completely allowing the golf course to revert to its natural state to heavily developing the course into community areas featuring amphitheatres, swimming areas and even museums.

The advisory team has not specified what they would like to see but has provided the firms with some general ideas that include the following:

    • Hiking and walking trails
    • Biking trails
    • Fishing
    • Dog park
    • Splash park
    • Picnic areas
    • Play areas for small children
    • Nature preserve
    • Connection to a larger trail system
    • Ecological education
    • Community campus incorporating the library and arts department

Gamble noted that the country club property has a varying landscape that could prove expensive to develop. He identified about 20 acres of the approximate 58 acres of available city property that would be easiest to develop. The portion the two felt would be easiest to develop is located in the southwest portion of the property in the same area the Greater Jasper Consolidated School Corporation has show an interest in purchasing. The portion is next to the high school baseball practice fields.

Gamble also identified potential issues with access to the property when it is developed. Currently there is only one public access point for the country club property.

The city and firms also discussed purchasing property around the country club for development, but no recommendations were made although the land adjacent to the National Guard Armory might be a consideration in the future and the city has requested an appraisal on the property.

According to Alberts, Tuesday’s presentation was simply a snapshot of the property and CityVision and Gamble and Associates will use it to balance what residents are suggesting they would like to see on the property with what the firms feel the property can support.

The city and the firms are planning another public input session to be announced in the near future.

The country club advisory team has the following members:

  • Kendall Martin – Citizen
  • Catherine Bell – Citizen
  • Jeanne Campbell – Citizen
  • Chad Mundy – Citizen
  • Audrey Seger – Citizen
  • Missy Krempp – Citizen
  • Brad Eckerle – Citizen
  • Greg Schnarr – Member of the Jasper Common Council
  • Darla Blazey – Director of Community Development & Planning
  • Chad Hurm – City Engineer
  • Renee Kabrick – City Attorney
  • Ken Buck – Jasper Park & Recreation Director
  • Roger Seger – Jasper Park & Recreation Board President
  • Kit Miracle – Director of Jasper Community Arts
  • John Bell – President of the Jasper Redevelopment Commission
  • Dr. Tracy Lorey – Superintendent of the Greater Jasper Consolidated Schools
  • Ken Schnaus – Member of the Board of Trustees for GJCS
  • Bill Hewitt – President of the Jasper Public Library Board
  • Mayor Terry Seitz
Share