Council, Residents Discuss New Irmo Park Features

A stage, playground equipment, walking trails, community gardens and picnic areas were some of the features suggested for Irmo's new park during a special session Saturday morning. 

The new park will be located on 14 acres on Eastview Drive. 

Irmo Town Council members bounced around some ideas with some members of the Okra Strut Commission, the Irmo Arbor Day Committee as well as residents interested in learning about the park. 

Not present at the meeting was Mayor Hardy King. 

In a letter posted on his website, King said he didn't attend Saturday's meeting because he works on Saturdays and wasn't given enough notice.

King also said the discussion could have been held at its next regular council meeting or another meeting, and council could have had a public hearing instead of calling a meeting on Saturday. 

Mayor Pro Tem Barry Walker Sr. said he didn't want to delay any longer on the project and wanted to call the meeting. 

For about 90 minutes, the group shared ideas about what they envisioned for the park.

While it's no secret that the new park will become the permanent home for the Irmo Okra Strut Festival, Walker said he didn't want the park to just be for one use. 

Walker said the park should be used for a variety of events including concerts, family reunions or a meeting place. 

Councilwoman Kathy Condom said the first priority of features should be the stage and everything needed for the Okra Strut to be held there in 2013. 

Condom said she also wanted to see playground equipment for children of all ages including toddlers. 

Other features discussed included a pavilion, a gazebo, a pond and walking bridges.

Town attorney Jake Moore suggested building an arboretum — a botanical garden devoted to a variety of trees, shrubs and plants — which he said could be used as an educational tool for students.

The group also talked about how to pay for the park's annual maintenance. One idea was for council to look at corporate sponsorships for any structures that would be in the park. 

The suggestions from Saturday's meeting will be used when town officials meet with potential designers to determine the park's layout. 

At a regular meeting earlier this month, council approved advertising for a design/build firm request for a quotation for the new park. 

Council also approved a contract for cleaning/mulching all of the underbrush on the site and a tree survey that would identify trees that are 8" or larger. 

Officials said the underbrush clearing/mulching should begin some time next week. 

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