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Leadership Cayuga 2009 Project Presentations Part I
Waterfront Development at Emerson Park
Team members: Marla Connely, Nicole Hulik, Maureen McEvers, Karin Moskow, Monika Salvage and Angela Winfield
As part of the Cayuga County Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Cayuga Program one group developed a plan to revitalize Emerson Park and provide the community with a place for families to play, relax and enjoy our unique natural resource; Owasco Lake. To this end, the group explored the feasibility of a "Destination Playground" on Deauville Island.
Background
Folks raised in Auburn have a high level of nostalgia for the now demolished rocket slide; an unforgettable piece of play equipment at Emerson Park that helped create fond memories and generate personal stories in the lives of most lifelong residents of Cayuga County.
The team researched newer versions of rocket slides, and corresponded with people from across the country that resurrected their own childhood memories by reconstructing playgrounds to meet modern safety standards, using the rocket slide as the focal point.
Because of the draw of a destination playground as an all-access facility, with features appealing to all age groups, this shovel ready project would not simply be "just another playground." It would fulfill the 2008 - 2013 Cayuga County Parks & Trails Capital Improvement Plan, and become a vibrant family activity area. Parks & Trails Commission has identified Deauville Island as a prime location for destination playground, as it would utilize a portion of the 16.7 acres of undeveloped land on which a bathhouse and two shelters already stand. The Parks Commission forecasts that destination playground would double attendance at Emerson Park.
To date, the group has gained support for the project from the Cayuga County Parks & Trails Director (Gary Duckett), District 8 Cayuga County Legislator and Chair of the Ways and Means Committee (Fran Mitchell), District 3 Cayuga County Legislator and Chair of the Public Works Committee (David Axton), and Principal of Kent Environmental Planning and Design (Jim Kent).
If you have any questions or thoughts about this opportunity, please contact Karin Moskov at (315) 283-6215 or at karin@brancheskids.org.
Time line of Emerson Park
1889
Charles Haines built Owasco Park
1891
Auburn City Railway Company connected the park with the city
1890’s
First pavilion built at Lakeside Park
1901
Miniature Train at Lakeside Park
1899
Michael Carmody purchased and reopened Island Park – added carousel in 1904
1913
Fire at Lakeside Park Pavilion - was replaced
1916
Figure-Eight Roller Coaster at Lakeside Park, swimming at Lakeside Park (1920)
1930
Fred Emerson purchased Lakeside Park for $250,000 and renamed it Enna Jettick Park after his famous line of women’s shoes Enna Jettick Park 1930-1940
1930
Famous carousel was added - resold in 1942 - rebuilt at Hershey Park in PA in 1944
1944
Fred Emerson donated Enna Jettick Park to Cayuga County - was renamed Emerson Park
After 1944
Buildings and rides torn down at Emerson Park, except for dance pavilion and
merry-go-round
1947
Island Park was renamed Deauville Park
1967
Cayuga County condemned park and razed most of its buildings
Early 1970’s
The original Rocket Slide at Emerson Park - torn down in the early 90’s
Project Scope
- Initial research
- Gathering support from people involved
- Research for potential grants
- Survey among potential target group with results
- Letter to + phone follow up with potential funders
View the Rocket Slide Video at
http://www.neenah.org/resources/spacecraftjwilliams.wmv |
