Design for Riverview Memorial Park in Tarentum include sports courts, docks, entrance plaza

Tarentum Councilman Ray Kerr believes the No. 1 enhancement to Riverview Memorial Park would be “more people.”

“The park is already beautiful,” said Kerr, during a meeting Tuesday where three unique concepts for potential upgrades were revealed. “If you draw more people to the park, it drives success in the business corridor.”

Attendees got their first glimpse of future park design options that range from beautification to a total overhaul. Several dozen people attended the meeting at Allegheny- Kiski Valley Heritage Museum on E. Seventh Avenue.

In one vision, Dreshar Stadium would be overhauled from an empty field into a recreation complex with sports courts, a multipurpose area and an entrance plaza. The popular spray park and playground would be moved to create a regional attraction of expanded play spaces for all ages.

A canoe and kayak launch, 10-footwide paved trail and a 72-person gazebo would also be placed there.

“That’s my favorite plan of the three,” Councilwoman Maggie Smith said. “I think there’s so much underutilized space at Dreshar now, and this way, everyone could enjoy the area.”

Designer Keely McDonald, with Pittsburgh-based architecture firm Pashek MTR, said that plan would also strengthen the park’s connection to Corbet Street and help drive economic development.

“We would orient the boat dock there, and people could come straight up into the business area,” McDonald said.

Borough resident Wendy Conn took time to review each of the three stations, saying she favors more activities for children.

“We have some good stuff, but not enough for teens,” Conn said.

An avid angler, she hopes a fishing pier makes it to the final plan.

“As someone with puppies, I’d also like a dog park,” Conn said.

It’s likely that bits and pieces of all three plans will be combined to create a final design, McDonald said.

She plans to meet with the borough’s park committee to sort through input gathered at Tuesday’s meeting. They’ll fine-tune details from which she will create a master plan.

By the end of July, a formal presentation is expected to be made to the public.

Business owners Greg and Laura Smith are rooting for boat docks, an expanded community garden and amenities that draw visitors.

Their company, GS Retail Services, is across from the park’s amphitheater on First Avenue.

“I like what Tarentum is trying to do,” Greg Smith said. “The boat docks make sense because of what’s happening at Pittsburgh Brewing.”

The brewery in nearby Creighton, East Deer plans to host concerts and other events this summer. Smith believes Tarentum could reap benefits from boat traffic.

Laura Smith hopes to see amenities for adults — “good green space and anything that draws the community together,” she said.

Other highlights that could make it into the final plan include a challenge course for teens, an overlook with swing benches, a fountain, elevated deck with seating, dock space for five boats, fishing pier, non-motorized boat ramp and ice breakers — steel barriers to divert ice from the docks.

Carrie Fox, president of the borough’s recreation board, said she “likes a little bit of everything.”

“By the time everyone gives their input, I think the final plan will include something from each of the three concepts,” she said.

Many of the meeting participants said they liked the idea of a potential makeover at Dreshar Stadium.

“We want to take advantage of that space and put it to use,” McDonald said. “Drawing more people there gets them closer to the waterfront.”