Town officials are exploring a sweeping overhaul of Jimmy McDonough Memorial Park that could eventually be placed before voters as part of a multimillion-dollar effort to modernize one of the town’s busiest recreational facilities.
The proposal, presented during the Carmel Town Board’s June 10 work session by Recreation and Parks Director Nina Kallmeyer and landscape architect Kurt Coronato of BBS Architects, Landscape Architects and Engineers, calls for significant upgrades to the park’s baseball facilities, parking, drainage systems, accessibility features and skate park.
The plan is the culmination of a process that began in October 2023, when the Town Board hired BBS to update the park’s 2008 master plan. According to a memorandum submitted by Kallmeyer, a committee made up of community stakeholders, including Mahopac Sports Association baseball representatives and skate park users, met several times to evaluate existing conditions and develop recommendations.
Kallmeyer told the board the goal was to create a long-range vision for the future of the heavily used park while identifying realistic phases for implementation.
The master plan envisions transforming McDonough Park into a complex centered around baseball and softball while retaining recreational amenities for other users.
Among the most significant recommendations is the creation of a new primary baseball complex in the northern portion of the property. The concept relocates and reorients the park’s existing high school-size baseball field (90-foot base paths), addressing longstanding concerns about players facing the setting sun during afternoon and evening games.
“The key to this plan was putting a parking area near the main baseball field,” Coronato told the board. “To make that baseball field the best, we would put it in the right orientation facing northeast.”
Master plan drawings show a reorganized layout featuring a regulation 90-foot baseball field, a dedicated softball field and multiple Little League fields connected by new pedestrian walkways and support facilities.
The proposal also calls for a new access road and parking area in the northern section of the park. Coronato said improved access was critical to making the fields more usable and fully accessible.
Earlier site analysis conducted by BBS identified several deficiencies, including underutilized fields, inadequate pedestrian connections, and accessibility challenges. Consultants also noted that some playing areas are located too far from parking, and that portions of the existing facility lack ADA-compliant access.
In addition to athletic improvements, the plan includes a playground, picnic shelter area and expanded passive recreation opportunities.
The skate park was another major focus of the presentation.
A conceptual redesign prepared by Spohn Ranch, skate park specialists based in Los Angeles, would replace the aging facility with a modern concrete skate park featuring bowls, ramps and street-style elements designed for skateboarders and scooter riders.
Although some board members questioned the estimated cost of the proposed skate park, there was broad consensus that it should remain part of the project.
“The skate park needs to stay,” Councilman Rob Kearns said during the discussion. “The skate park’s staying there. It’s not going anywhere.”
Kearns repeatedly emphasized his desire to establish McDonough Park as a dedicated baseball and softball destination.
“We want to bring Little League to the town of Carmel,” said Kearns, who argued that the updated park should be dedicated to baseball and softball and not include a multi-purpose field, as was suggested in one proposal.
However, other officials noted that maintaining some flexibility could benefit the broader community and help build support should the project eventually be presented to voters.
Cost remains the largest obstacle.
Coronato said the original 2024 master plan estimated a complete buildout at approximately $14 million, including construction costs, design fees, engineering, permitting and contingencies. That estimate included synthetic turf infields for several baseball facilities.
After reviewing the proposal earlier this year, town officials asked consultants to prepare a revised concept built around a construction budget of approximately $5 million for an initial phase.
This would focus on the northern baseball complex, including new fields, lighting, drainage infrastructure, parking improvements, and access roads.
During the discussion, board members expressed concerns about the cost and long-term maintenance requirements associated with synthetic turf. Kearns questioned whether turf fields would justify the additional expense and future replacement costs.
After hearing input from consultants, park users and maintenance personnel, the board directed BBS to prepare new estimates using natural grass fields instead of turf.
Kearns also suggested the town examine whether completing the entire project in a single construction effort could ultimately prove more cost-effective than multiple phases.
“If we’re going to do this, it’s all or nothing in my eyes,” he said. “We’re going to do all the fields, the skate park, everything is getting done, or we’re not doing anything.”
The discussion eventually turned to financing.
Kearns suggested that any major park project should be presented directly to taxpayers through a referendum.
“I would like to see this put on the ballot and let the community decide,” he said. “It’s their money.”
Town officials acknowledged that financing details remain preliminary, and that more detailed cost analyses would be needed before any referendum could be considered. Kallmeyer also noted that improvements proposed for Sycamore Park could potentially become part of a broader community discussion about recreation investments.
No formal action was taken June 10. Instead, the board directed consultants to return with updated cost estimates reflecting all-grass fields and the possibility of completing the project in a single phase.
While questions remain regarding scope, financing and timing, board members, youth sports advocates and skate park supporters all voiced support for continuing the planning effort.
If eventually realized, the project would represent the most significant investment in McDonough Park since the town first adopted a comprehensive parks master plan nearly two decades ago.
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