Clinton Park ? A conglomeration of green space, playground equipment and a community shelter house nestled in the Pinckney neighborhood – would make Steve Braswell’s list of what he loves about Lawrence.

“It is just so usable,” said Braswell, president of the Pinckney Neighborhood Assn. “Every time you drive by, there are kids playing. I’ve always said our park system is a real jewel of Lawrence, and we need to keep it up and add to it whenever we can.”

Whether the city can afford to do that, though, will be a question the Lawrence City Commission will tackle next week. City commissioners will consider approving $2.4 million worth of additions and renovations to the city’s park system at their meeting Tuesday night.

New parks on list

Included in the list is development of three new parks designed to serve neighborhoods that aren’t as lucky as Pinckney to have a nearby park.

“We have some neighborhoods that have grown up pretty well, and we think it is time to provide some more park services for them,” said Fred DeVictor, the city’s director of parks and recreation.

The new parks would be:

¢Peterson Park: a neighborhood park near Peterson Road and North Iowa Street, just west of the Hallmark Cards plant. DeVictor is proposing to set aside $250,000 to begin the first phase of development for the property. Improvements in the first phase would include a basketball court, playground equipment, picnic areas and a walking path.

Proposed park development

¢Green Meadows Park: a neighborhood park north and west of the area near Kasold Drive and 31st Street. The plan calls for $240,000 to add a playground, berms, paths and benches to the property, which is undeveloped except for a portion of the South Lawrence Trafficway hike/bike path.

¢Greenbelt Park: a neighborhood park to serve new homes near Langston Hughes School. The 40-acre site near the southeast corner of George Williams Way and Harvard Road would have about a mile of walking trails that would encircle the hundreds of homes in the area. The park also would highlight the area’s rough and woody terrain. The plan calls for $500,000 to build a portion of the trails and a playground.

Funding may be deterrent

The improvements to Clinton, at Fifth and Alabama streets, include new restrooms, a new shelter house, updated playground equipment and additional paths.

City commissioners may struggle with whether Lawrence can afford the investment in the city’s park spaces. DeVictor is proposing the city pay for the projects by taking on new debt that would be paid for with revenue from the countywide one-cent sales tax. The city has sales tax dollars that have become available because the 10-year-old outdoor aquatic center was paid off last year.

But City Commissioner David Schauner said that money might be better put to use tackling some of the other needs being studied by commissioners. Commissioners are considering a host of projects, including a new library, sewer improvements, street repairs, possible purchase of the Farmland Industries site and a new homeless shelter.

“The list is really about as long as your arm,” Schauner said. “Parks and Recreation has had use of that money from day one. I think we shouldn’t get excited and just do something. We should think about the other uses out there.”

But Braswell hopes that commissioners will give parks strong consideration.

“Parks and green space really add to the quality of life,” Braswell said. “And one thing everybody loves about Lawrence is its quality of life.”

In addition to the four park renovation and improvement projects, the plan also includes $340,000 for the Burroughs Creek Trail project in East Lawrence; $260,000 for acquisition of future parkland; and $500,000 for maintenance ranging from roof repairs to new lights for baseball and softball diamonds.

Commissioners will meet at 6:35 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, Sixth and Massachusetts streets.