Park Improvements

Project Overview and Summary

The MSA-Rettler-WTI team is providing design services for facility improvements at two city parks in Evansville. The project includes the development of a new aquatic park facility as well as park improvements at the 24-acre West Side Park. The existing aquatics facility at Leonard-Leota Park will be removed, and a new splash pad installed.  

West Side Park  

The plan maintains and improves the two existing full-sized soccer fields and adds a 300-foot ballfield and a 200-foot softball field. The central green space will offer flexible, multi-use open space.  An additional backstop is also provided for casual ball play with flexible open green space that can provide soccer drill practice, ball warm-up and the potential for small youth soccer fields, if desired. A network of trails and sidewalks connect the proposed park features, maintaining an accessible route to all amenities. 

The proposed stormwater design has been developed to meet the needs of the project and the associated WDNR requirements including treatment ponds and infiltration swales.  The design also accounts for contributing offsite sources of stormwater from the adjacent neighborhood that have resulted in added provisions including enlarged treatment (detention) ponds within the park. 

The design includes 182 parking spaces (Standard Parking: 170 Spaces; Accessible Parking: 2 Spaces; Accessible Van Parking: 10 Spaces) 

Athletic Facilities  

• The addition of competition baseball and softball fields to support community, league and school athletic events. 
• Development of a 200’ natural turf competition softball field. 
• Development of a 285’, 315’, 285’ natural turf competition baseball field. 
• Warning tracks and skinned infields for both baseball and softball field additions. 
• Prefabricated metal roof structures and chain-link fencing enclosures for new dugouts at both the baseball and softball facilities. 
• Storage enclosures for ballfield equipment at both the baseball and softball facilities. 
• Hard surface plaza space between baseball and softball facilities for spectators and athletes.   
• The central green space will offer multi-use green space.  
• An additional backstop is also provided for casual ball play with flexible space that can provide soccer drill practice, ball warm-up and the potential for small youth soccer fields, if desired. 
• Aeration, topdressing and overseeding of the existing soccer fields to improve playability and planarity of the natural turf surface. 

Aquatic Center

Important to the design of the West Side Park Aquatic Center was the grouping of recreational amenities that would provide a neighborhood park feel while serving a variety of ages and abilities within a larger community park. The multi-faceted leisure pool is designed to appeal to the recreational needs of several diverse user groups. The lap pool features six, 25-yard lanes ideal for exercise, learn-to-swim, diving, and a climbing wall for the more adventurous users. Conjoined to the lap pool is a multi-purpose, 180 linear foot current channel that can be used for resistance training or a leisurely float which feeds into a zero-depth activity and wading pool. The activity pool features distinct zones that complement one another while targeting specific user groups. The zero-depth entry wading area is perfect for toddlers and younger-aged children. The activity pool and slide complex engage tweens and teens, the hardest user group to target, by incorporating thrilling and skill-based activities such as basketball and body slides.   

• 8,917 SF Leisure Pool – this multi-faceted leisure pool  
• 6-lane, 25-yard lap pool  
• 1-Meter Diving  
• 180 Linear ft current channel  
• Zero-Depth Wading Pool  
• Splashtacular Slide Complex 
• 32” Enclosed Body Slide to 42” Open Flume Body Slide 
• 32” Enclosed Body Slide  
• Basketball  
• 1-Meter Diving  
• Climbing Wall  
• Water Features  
• 10 Custom Water Geysers  
• 1 Waterplay Play Structure  
• 1 Donut Ground Spray (Waterplay) 
• 1 The Wave Spray Tunnel Ground Spray  
• 2 Play Phase Base Spray Feature 

Leonard-Leota Park  

The full master plan for a new flow-through splash pad with patios and a redeveloped adjacent parking area (located at the base of the hill towards the lake) has been studied and developed. The concept orients the feature to face the lake with a subtle tiered design that leverages the lakeside views. This is further enhanced with small patio areas including one to accommodate future use of the “Park Store” building that is to remain.  

The design includes 13 parking spaces (Standard Parking: 12 Spaces; Accessible Van Parking: 1 Space) 

Splash Pad

The splash pad at Leonard-Leota park represents a cross-generational amenity that the whole family can enjoy. With a primary target market ranging from toddlers to tweens, parents and grandparents too can enjoy watching the children splashing and playing amongst the several interactive water features such as ground sprays and geysers. With no standing water but a plethora of spray features, the splash pad is a safe, value-added amenity to the park. It has a significant play value that presents both dry and wet opportunities that make it a very inviting recreational activity for the entire community while complementing the new aquatic center on the West side of town.      

• 1,628 SF outdoor flow-through splash pad  
• Waterplay Spray Pad Features  
• (1) Donut Ground Spray  
• (5) Geysers  
• (1) Group Volcano Ground Spray  
• (6) Puddle One Ground Spray  
• (2) Puddle Two Ground Spray  
• (1) Puddle Three Ground Spray  
• (1) Puddle Three Ground Spray 
• (1) Spray Tunnel Eight (The Wave) Ground Spray 
• (3) Stead Stream Ground Sprays  
• (5) Straight Up Ground Spray  
• (1) Team Effect Ground Spray  
• (3) Tulip Ground Spray  
• (2) The Wave Ground Spray 
• (3) Solo Spurt Ground Spray 

Construction Updates from CCI

5/05/2023        5/20/2023

4/14/2023        4/21/2023        4/28/2023

3/24/2023        3/31/2023        4/07/2023

3/03/2023       3/10/2023        3/17/2023

11/11/2022     11/25/2022     12/09/2022

10/16/2022     10/21/2022     11/04/2022

 9/09/2022        9/16/2022      9/23/2022   

Project Progress Updates From MSA

December 2021   

November 2021 (survey results) 

September 2021

Project Documents From MSA

 West Side Park December 2021 Concept 

Aquatic Center December 2021 Concept

West Side Park October 2021 Concept

Aquatic Center October 2021 Concept

Leonard-Leota Splash Pad October 2021 Concept

Pre Design Budget Analysis

Athletic Stakeholder Notes    

Open House Flyer     

Public Open House Video

Public Open House Video From MSA