Auburn contracts with firm to plan downtown canoe launch
By Mark Murdock | KPC Media - The Star
Auburn is looking to further enhance its downtown with a canoe launch site on Cedar Creek.
The Board of Works and Public Safety on Thursday approved a contract with Jones Petrie Rafinski to work on a master plan for new amenities at the former site of Shelter Ministries on East 7th Street. The cost for the planning work is $8,500.
In conjunction with the Hometown Collaboration Initiative and Auburn Main Street, the master plan will explore how best to accommodate the launch site along with a farmers market and river walk. The plan will include parking, lighting, landscaping and signage. Memorial gardens and a skating rink are other possibilities.
The site is a one-half acre in size. Another half-acre property is available south of the site, on land owned by American Legion Post 97. The property to the south could be included in the development if the city partners with the Legion.
Current access is from an undeveloped, platted road from South Union Street.
After an initial meeting with a focus group, JPR will start by developing as many feasible designs as possible. Utility locations, floodplain regulations, topography, vegetation, property access, wetland locations and other physical features impacting the design will be considered.
The firm will work with all city and county departments as necessary to gauge how well different features might work.
After that, JPR will meet with the focus group to try to take the best from all of the designs and make the best blended version possible. JPR will produce diagrams of the version eventually accepted by the focus group.
