As Evansville launches new parks projects, some wonder: What about the ones in disrepair now?

When the city recently announced it would be going back to the drawing board on plans for Roberts Park, the long-delayed project at the old Roberts Stadium site, the comments on a Courier & Press story offered plenty of suggestions on what to put there. Others, meanwhile, questioned the project.

“Oh great. Spend more money on yet another park," one commenter said. "While existing parks fall further into ruins."

“Yes, take care of our existing parks and our boat ramps,” another replied.

Some city parks are in good shape. Sheridan, Olmstead and Homestead Park, for instance, appeared to be in good condition, without issues of trash or broken equipment, when the Courier & Press visited recently.

Others were a mixed bag. The majority of parks seen by C&P reporters looked to have little issue with overgrown grass, a complaint often brought up when parks are discussed. But not all were issue-free.

The Tuesday after Memorial Day, trash overflowed cans at Wesselman Park on Evansville's East Side. A month later, a slide at Lorraine Park was missing a chunk of plastic on its lip where kids would exit. And a chain meant to assure children don't fall off a walking bridge hung broken to the side.

On June 30, a slide at Line Street Park was blocked by what looked to be a couch cushion with a comforter stuffed into it. If kids had been able to get down it, they would have landed on a blue tarp stuffed underneath. The same day, there was a baby gate tossed into a pile of weeds growing from the middle of a raised bed in Goosetown Mini-Park.

More:Some members of Evansville City Council decry conditions in 'deplorable' parks

Issues like those were the driving force behind an amendment city councilor Missy Mosby, D-Second Ward, proposed last October. She wanted to move $1 million budgeted for Roberts Park infrastructure to target improvement of existing city parks and boat ramps. She was supported by Jonathan Weaver, R-At Large, and Justin Elpers, R-Fifth Ward.

And it can be expected to be a part of the discussion again this year, as the condition of city parks is still under scrutiny − even as planning for new projects gets underway.

People to do the work

Right now, the refrain from businesses and government alike is the need for more employees. And if that’s what the city’s parks department needs, Mosby wants them to have it.

“I will say our workers are doing the best they can. But I really, truly feel with as many parks as this city has, the mayor needs to look at adding more positions for the parks department,” she said. "To help make sure everything does get mowed and taken care of in a timely fashion, so our parks are good for people to enjoy.”

Evansville's city website currently lists eight openings in the parks department. Two of them, a seasonal laborer and Clean Team leader, include park upkeep in the job description. A similar description is posted for a seasonal position at the golf courses.

The parks department currently has five people who mow the city parks on a two-week rotation. The mowing schedule includes 51 parcels of land, interim parks director Steve Schaefer said. That leaves the two-person crews between 15-20 parks to mow on the rotation.

“There is always a time of the year where grass grows just really fast,” he said. “That’s where it’s like triage, where if there are parks with events going on, (we make) sure those are well-maintained, especially prior to an event.”

Those same crews are also supposed to pick up trash. And some maintenance employees are specialized in areas such as HVAC and pool operation.

“If we had all of our seasonal positions full I think we would be able to manage, be more efficient,” Schaefer said.

Trash at parks − when it makes it into refuse bins − is removed by Republic Services under a contract with the parks department.

There has had to be an increase in pickups for the summer, Schaefer said. There’s always trash, he said, especially at places such as Wesselman where there are shelters.

“This year it seems like there’s more and more,” he said.

Some areas are self-sufficient

Areas of the city such as Haynie’s Corner take care of themselves, Schaefer said. Events take place consistently there, and afterward event coordinators and volunteers clear out the trash.

And in other parts of town, there are community groups that strive to take care of parks themselves.

“There are some absolutely fabulous groups and organizations out there,” Schaefer said.

Those include the Tepe Park Neighborhood Association, which has spearheaded multiple projects. Tepe Park hosts community-led events like an annual three-on-three basketball tournament in the fall.

More:Here's what to know about Evansville's plan to build more pickleball courts

Schaefer said organizations that work closely with their neighborhood parks may reach out and ask for help on bigger fixes or improvements, such as a piece of equipment, but community involvement is what the city would love to see moving forward.

“You do have groups that take ownership,” he said. “That is a big help.”

Another big help is fielding complaints from residents. The departments hears about issues from resident comment and park maintenance workers seeing problems organically.

Schaefer said whether they like hearing about issues or not, the department needs to know. He said he often seeks out complaints on social media. And he noted that he may respond to them more often than he should.

“But it’s a way to get information quickly and answer directly,” he said.

There is a spot on the city website meant specifically for residents to report issues. It gives residents the option to select maintenance; mowing/trees; greenway/trails; trash/trash cans; playgrounds; city pools; boat ramps and other. Then they are able to describe the issue in more detail, along with its location.

The Courier & Press filed a Freedom of Information Act request to receive all complaints delivered to the city via the form. Officials have acknowledged the request, but hadn't provided data prior to publication of this article.

A new plan for parks

The city is in the process of updating its master plan for the parks and recreation department.

The previous plan was created in 2015 and is meant to be updated every five years. Many grants sponsored by DNR and the state require a fresh master plan to qualify. Schaefer hopes it will be complete by the end of the year.

Its creation will include meeting with stakeholder groups, holding public input sessions and visiting every city park.

"If you're going to make changes on improving (a park) or not improving, it's better to have visited it at least once to get some eyes on it," Schaefer said.

"I think it's difficult when you have a master plan and you have all these fantastic recommendations and you have a limited amount of resources," he said. "You have to choose wisely, use grant funding, private fundraising and try and do what you can."

There’s always something to spend money on

The 2023 budget includes asks for major improvements the city wants to see at area parks.

"Normally public safety always wins in term of the biggest asks, and they should because of their equipment," Schaefer said. "But parks is giving them a run for their money."

Last year, the city council agreed to budget $300,000 specifically for neighborhood parks improvement. Schaefer said he and council president Zac Heronemus have discussed ways to keep that amount consistent going forward.

"I totally agree that you write a check and we’ll be able to find some way to spend it in the city," Schaefer said.

Schaefer said all of the $300,000, aside from around $50,000 he wants to keep on hand in the budget, has been spoken for. It went to pay for things like paving, mulch and equipment.

"We have to be able to maintain, I completely get that," he said. "But we also have to be able to invest in areas that need improvement. "

That includes new projects such as Roberts Park, which has been a goal of Mayor Lloyd Winnecke and his staff for the entirety of his time as mayor.

More:Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke talks COVID-19, Roberts Park. What will his legacy be?

But that focus on the new frustrates Mosby.

“You see the announcements for all these new things coming," she said. "But yet we’re not taking care of what we have.”

As budget hearings approach in August, Mosby said she is going to be focused on hirings for the department, including a full-time director. And she maintains the city should not add new facilities until it takes care of the ones it has.

If the budget comes to the city council without the addition of more park workers, Mosby will look to change that. While council cannot add to the budget, it can cut and move money around.

“It is a quality-of-life issue for everyone living in those areas,” she said.

Mosby said she hears the complaints and sees them on social media, even on things as new as the Deaconess Aquatic Center.

“We always get this shiny, brand new thing, but then we don’t put in the budget how we’re going to keep that shiny, bright new thing, shiny and bright,” she said. “We don’t have in the budget for regular repair and maintenance for things. And it’s just frustrating.”