Civic Center Master Plan Calls for Millions in Upgrades as Well as Relocation and Addition of Amenities
By Jeff Toquinto on May 23, 2023
The timeline is likely a year or two into the future, but a complete remake of the Benedum Civic Center grounds, as well as the relocation of some of their amenities, is on the way. And some of the changes are going to be big.
Items involved as part of a master plan for the Civic Center grounds were put on display at the May 8 work and regular session of Bridgeport 
City Council. The majority of the talk, as well as a look at the proposals, took place during the work session prior to the regular meeting.
City Council. The majority of the talk, as well as a look at the proposals, took place during the work session prior to the regular meeting.
Bridgeport Parks and Recreation Director Joe Shuttleworth and Samuel Rich, PLA, a landscape architect with The Thrasher Group, led the discussion for the master plan. As it ended, the changes will likely come in three phases and with an early estimate price tag of just over $6 million - $6,000,857 to be exact.
Those involved emphasized this does not include the cost of replacing the existing city pool on the civic center grounds, which will be millions of additional dollars. The master plan will, as not above, move amenities, as well as add plenty of others to help make the essentially landlocked property more user friendly.
“We know we have a problem with pedestrian flow,” said Shuttleworth.
With the future pool change coming at an undefined time, the first step was to make the ground available more accessible and see what 
the community wanted. A public forum was held, as well as a survey that saw hundreds of responses. From there, the groundwork was set for the proposal that will eventually come to fruition.
the community wanted. A public forum was held, as well as a survey that saw hundreds of responses. From there, the groundwork was set for the proposal that will eventually come to fruition.
Under the plan, the tennis court area will be relocated to an area of flat land at Deegan and Hinkle Lakes. Along with the new tennis area, there will be the installation of pickle ball courts as the sport continues to grow in the area as well as the sand volleyball court.
The removal of the tennis court at the Civic Center to a new site is geared at addressing one critical need – parking. In fact, the entire plan adds plenty of parking that can be utilized on the Civic Center grounds.
The removal of the tennis courts would allow the expansion of the parking lot to 60 spaces. The basketball court would be essentially 
given a 180-degree turn and see a new, expanded playground added to property recently acquired on the Civic Center grounds situated between Simpson Creek and Worthington Avenue. The parking lot in that area would grow to 56 spaces, and there would also be three parking spaces made available on Worthington Drive.
given a 180-degree turn and see a new, expanded playground added to property recently acquired on the Civic Center grounds situated between Simpson Creek and Worthington Avenue. The parking lot in that area would grow to 56 spaces, and there would also be three parking spaces made available on Worthington Drive.
Two other changes involving traffic flow will be added. The entrance to the main parking lot where the tennis court area currently exists will be widened to allow for in and out access. Also, the one-way turn onto Worthington Drive would be widened to allow anyone leaving the parking lot – from two designed exits – to turn left onto Worthington and exit back to Virginia Avenue. Worthington would still remain one-way traffic otherwise.
To help with traffic flow from one side of Simpson Creek to the other, the Bowstring Bridge will have company. A new pedestrian bridge to cross the creek closer to where the pool will be located is also part of the plan.
The redesign of the grounds will include a picnic shelter and a pavilion and stage area. There are also plans for historic signage among others.
Once funding is in place, and multiple sources were discussed along with money that has been escrowed, the projects will be put out to bid. There is discussion on what phase to do first – either the north side of the Civic Center, which would involve the changes to the basketball court and new parking or projects out at lakes.
There was unanimity that the final part would be the south side of the Civic Center grounds. A key reason for that is that involves damage to the parking lot that is in place will see once the work begins due to the heavy machinery going across it.
Eventually, Shuttleworth said the city pool will follow. Although it may hold a similar footprint, there will be changes from where the mechanical equipment is stored to the positioning and access of the maintenance building. Shuttleworth said the community input was showing a desire for the new pool to be focused on leisure swimming as opposed to comopetitive swimming. Nothing has been finalized on the future pool.
Editor's Note: Top photo shows Samuel Rich addressing City Council during a work sessions, while the second photo shows the proposed layout of the Benedum Civic Center grounds as part of the master plan and it is followed by a key explaining the numbered items. At the bottom is one of the concepts that could be put in place at a new city pool. Cover photo shows Parks and Recreation Director Joe Shuttleworth at the start of the presentation earlier this month.
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