New MPR director looks forward to Sisson-Eek completion

By Phil Cobb | June 23, 2016 |

A crew from Fry and Associates of Kansas City this week is installing new playground equipment at Maryville Parks and Recreation’s Sisson-Eek Park on West Lincoln. The final installation is expected top be completed and the popular park fully re-opened by the July Fourth weekend.

Maryville Parks and Recreation Director Aaron Dobson has been on the job for only a few months now, but he will already be making his stamp in the community with the completion of his first major project. The replacement of the existing outdated Sisson-Eek park equipment.

Dobson was able to come into his new role in Maryville with the project already in the budget. His challenge was to figure out what would best fit the park space, the community’s needs, and the department’s budget.

“The Sisson-Eek playground was identified as a park that’s equipment needed replaced,” Dobson said. “Before I came into this position, a budget had already been developed for the project. What I did was set up a timeline with the board to review the needs for the park along with selecting the appropriate design for the equipment. We then worked with manufacturers on what elements we wanted to include in our idea for Sisson-Eek.”

Dobson and the board decided to make the theme for Sisson-Eek that of a clubhouse.

“We all have that whimsical idea or memory of a childhood tree house, and that’s what we were trying to capture with this design,” Dobson said. “A lot of features that this has, that many adults don’t understand, is the different levels and the bridge features. Between that and the tree house or club house feel of the equipment, and the set up will ignite a lot to the imagination of a child.”

Dobson said he and the board want to bring something to the parks that people don’t get to experience every day.

“What we want from our equipment as parks and recreation staff is to provide the community with things they may not be able to afford for their own back yards,” Dobson said. “That typically means various levels of slides as well as elements that inspire imagination for the children. During my time here as park director, I would like to see different styles of play areas so that families could make a day of visiting our different parks and get a new experience at each stop. Each theme will have similar elements as one another, but will be different overall.”

While the Sisson-Eek project has hit a hiccup with the manufacturer forgetting a portion of the shipment, Dobson still plans for the project to be completed by the start of July, and under budget.

“We are planning to pour a similar base at Sisson-Eek as we did at Sunrise Park,” Dobson said, referring to the material as bonded rubber. “Despite the issue, we are still planning to open the park for use the first weekend in July.”

As Dobson looks past the completion of Sisson-Eek, he is working with his board to develop a plan of action for the future of Maryville parks.

“We are currently working through the language prior to adoption of a strategic plan,” Dobson said. “Everything from our business model and our calculation of fees, to our capital improvement plans and parks and facility, we are working on setting those things in motion through strategic planning. We hope to get that developed by the fall. Those strategic plans will take course in timelines of 18 months to five years. We’re excited for those plans.”

As the park improvement projects come about, Dobson plans to utilize input from the community including various action groups and organizations to seek out what needs and wants can be matched to the department’s budget.

“Far be it from me to just come in here and dictate what people in this community, some who have lived here their whole lives, and tell them what they need in their parks,” Dobson said. “I need to work with them to get that going.”

Dobson touched on a partnership with the local Special Olympics group to get some bocce ball courts in Franklin Park. The project would come from a grant the Special Olympics group is in the process of applying for.

“We hope to accomplish similar projects like this through partnerships with different entities in the community,” Dobson said. “When their needs and wants can combine with our efforts.”

In the upcoming fiscal year, Dobson plans to make some improvements to the Maryville Community Center including updated equipment and additional items for increased programming. The budget could also include additional resources for community parks, but Dobson also wants to focus on improving a number of other amenities Maryville Parks and Recreation offers to the public.

“We have a lot of nice things here in Maryville,” Dobson said. “What I want to look at is how can we make them better, not only from the aesthetics standpoint, but also their usability and functionality.”

In all, Dobson wants to bring back the aspect of making the parks the center of the community. It’s his goal to work hand-in-hand with the board and community toward accomplishing that task.

“We want our parks to be something where families can come together with a place for kids to play and parents to talk amongst each other,” Dobson said. “It’s there where bonds are made with people you might otherwise have never met. Playgrounds and parks play a vital role as a quality of life to bring communities together.”