Conservancy statement on Greensward plan funding
Today City Council’s Parks & Environment Committee voted to send a resolution accepting $250,000 each from Overton Park Conservancy and the Memphis Zoo to its full Council meeting on April 11. These funds represent the full cost of the design and engineering phase of the Zoo parking lot reconfiguration. As soon as these funds are accepted by the City of Memphis, the Powers Hill Design team can begin working to create a design concept, which will lead to the development of cost estimates for the full project.
The Conservancy has been in discussions with Mayor Strickland’s office regarding a plan to fund the project’s construction phase, which would likely start in October or November of this year. While an agreement has not been finalized, the Conservancy is pleased with the direction of a proposal drafted by the Mayor’s office. Under this proposal, the Conservancy and the Zoo would each pay half of the costs of the construction phase, with that investment to be offset using revenue generated by the parking fees.
We welcome this opportunity to continue working with the Mayor’s office to resolve the long-standing issue of parking on the Greensward. We have made it clear that every effort in this process should be made to minimize the amount of encroachment onto the Greensward or any other area of Overton Park. The Conservancy’s willingness to commit construction funding is contingent upon our acceptance of the final design concept, which is why we are eager for Powers Hill to begin their work.
The costs Overton Park Conservancy is prepared to incur on this project are likely to exceed the amount of our entire annual budget. The Conservancy operates a free public park with no gate revenues or concessions; we rely overwhelmingly on community donations to provide park maintenance and complete capital projects. With only five years in business, we do not have $1.5 million in reserves, and we will have to raise these funds on a short timetable. While this will be a major challenge, it is one we are willing and ready to undertake to permanently remove cars from the Greensward and restore it to the people of Memphis.
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