New Basketball Courts, Playground, and Walking Trail Planned for Loomis Park

Rendering of new playground structure for Loomis Park.  Courtesy City of Jackson.

(September 23, 2020 11:23 AM)  The City of Jackson has announced several upcoming improvements for Loomis Park and the Boos Community Center, a popular park and busy community center in an east side neighborhood.

Loomis Park is the largest public park on Jackson’s east side. At their Sept. 8 meeting, the Jackson City Council approved the use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to fully replace the park’s basketball courts, provide more lighting at the center of the park, and a new walking trail to connect parking areas. Work on these projects is set to begin in the coming weeks and wrap up by the end of Nov. While that work is underway, City officials are also starting efforts to replace the park’s playground equipment.

Residents are invited to learn about the new playground and give input on its design during an online meeting planned for Tuesday, Sept. 29 at 6:30 p.m. over the Zoom platform. Meeting information is available on the City website. The current wooden playground structure is 20 years old and requires regular maintenance. Plans call for replacing the old structure with a modern playground facility that is accessible to people with disabilities and requires less maintenance. Once plans and funding are secured, the new playground could be built next year.

At the center of Loomis Park is the Boos Community Center. The center hosts a variety of recreation programs and community meetings throughout the year. Also at the Sept. 8 meeting, the Jackson City Council approved the use of CDBG funds to replace the center’s roof. Holes in the 32-year-old roof are causing interior water damage. The roof project is set to be complete by the end of October.

Parks and Recreation Director Kelli Hoover says her department is excited about these improvements. “These improvement plans have been years in the making so we’re looking forward to making them a reality. We believe this new investment from the City will make the park facilities safer and more enjoyable for our residents,” Hoover said.

The online meeting to discuss the new Loomis Park playground will also be live streamed on the City’s Facebook page and website.