By Debby Woodin
dwoodin@joplinglobe.com
They came. They dreamed.
There could be a performing-arts center, a larger public library, a softball multiplex, an indoor water park and competition swimming pool, and a boost in the skill level of the work force.
Quality of life, mostly through visual and performing arts, athletics and economic development opportunities, was the theme of most of the dreams expressed Saturday by about 60 local residents and representatives of organizations at an “envisioning meeting” held by city officials at the Joplin Senior Center. The ideas were sought to aid city leaders in charting future plans for projects.
To city leaders, Sharon Beshore, co-chair of a recently impaneled cultural-affairs committee at the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce, said, “I ask that the council continue to support the arts that help make Joplin a well-rounded and attractive community.”
Her message for the city’s continued commitment to helping foster arts activities that started two years ago was reinforced by Kim Lester, operations director of the chamber, who also is involved in the cultural-affairs committee. Jo Mueller, director of the Spiva Center for the Arts; Jeff Youngblood, a local artist and gallery owner; Greg Huff, founder of the Ozark School of Creative Arts; and Cynthia Schwab, founder of Pro Musica, an organization that brings a variety of concerts to Joplin, all spoke on behalf of that aim.
“I would like you to not think of the arts as a frill,” Schwab said. “Think of the arts in an economic sense,” she said, adding that education, attracting and entertaining a high-tech job force and other functions of the arts contribute to the overall economic base.
They also expressed support for some kind of performing-arts center or civic center to be built as a venue for both visual and performing arts.
There also was a groundswell of support for sports and recreation efforts.
Resident Susan Campbell said her children love to participate in sports, particularly softball, but that Joplin’s fields are limited and there are not suitable accommodations to hold tournaments.
Campbell, along with girls softball coach Mark Brower, asked that a softball complex with four fields for adult and child play be built at the new Joplin Athletic Complex. “That could bring out a number of people who would spend money and buy concessions,” Brower said.
Jeff Williams, the new basketball coach at Joplin High School, said he is trying to form a youth basketball league, and that parents say they want a league but have had trouble accessing gymnasiums to play. He suggested the city build an indoor sports center that could be used for many sports from youth basketball to adult fitness walking. He said there is a need for supervised youth activities in Joplin that are free.
Patrick Tuttle, director of the Joplin Sports Authority, said he would like the city to move up a plan to upgrade historic Joe Becker Stadium so that more baseball events could be staged there. He also suggested that a collegiate-level swimming pool be built for competitive swimming.
There was some discussion of an indoor aquatic park for both recreation and competitive swimming being built, possibly on land owned by The Bridge adjacent to Interstate 44.
Dan Mitchell, president of The Bridge, offered to partner with the city for the use of 50 acres his ministry owns surrounding The Bridge, a youth ministry that entertains teenagers with skate parks, concerts and other activities.
In addition to arts and recreation, the president of the chamber, Rob O’Brian, reminded city leaders to be vigilant about business.
“The No. 1 thing the city should be interested in is economic development,” in particular attracting and retaining jobs, and expanding infrastructure to provide for new business and industry, he said. To create higher-paying jobs that contribute to the quality of life, Joplin needs to raise its education level, enhance the graduation rate and nurture local talent, he said.
Joyce Burlingame, a representative of the “Petal Pushers,” a local gardening group that does voluntary gardening at city parks, asked the city for repairs to the fountain, benches and flower beds at Spiva Park.
Nancy Morton, chairman of the city’s historic preservation commission, asked for an allocation of less than $15,000 to conduct a survey of houses for the purpose of identifying potential sites for state and federal historic designation.
The theme of Saturday’s brainstorming session was obvious to City Council members.
Mayor Pro Tem Mike Woolston said it appears that city leaders have adequately provided residents with basic services like streets and other infrastructure as a result of prudent money management, and they have now turned to requests for items that impact the quality of life.
He said the focus of the suggestions reflects well on the city staff. “This gives me a good feeling that you all are doing a good job.”
Council members threw a number of other ideas into the suggestion box themselves, from developing Union Depot to offering curbside recycling.
City Manager Mark Rohr conducted the meeting and said that it was the time to make suggestions but not to figure out how to finance the projects. That can come later.
Mayor Gary Shaw said he was impressed with the session.
“I thought it was outstanding. I was very encouraged by the number of folks who came,” he said. “I thought there were many good suggestions.”
New plan
The list of suggestions from Saturday’s session will be prioritized by the City Council next spring when the “Blueprint for the Future” plan is updated.
