Project Background
The Exchange Street
Playground is City Park on the site of the former Genesee Valley Canal in the
Plymouth-Exchange Neighborhood (PLEX). After the Canal was abandoned in 1878, the
site became a portion of the Genesee Valley Canal Railroad – which had multiple
tracks onsite until the railway was abandoned in 1963. The current park was constructed
in the 1970s and hasn’t seen major updates since, aside from playground
equipment upgrades over the years.
In 2015, a master plan for
this park was completed with a grant from the Community Design Center of
Rochester. The Master Plan included a partnership with the PLEX neighborhood
group, in order to include public feedback in the preferred design
alternatives. This Master Plan identified a phased final concept plan that can
be found in the attachment below.
*Download the 2015 Master Plan here.
The City secured a grant
through the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) for design and
construction of Phase 1 improvements to the park. A design consultant was
solicited via an RFP process, and preliminary data collection and conceptual
design began in Summer 2022.
Project Objectives
The City of Rochester is presently working with a consultant team to
design the Phase 1 conceptual improvements that were shown in the 2015 master
plan. When additional funding becomes available, the City will pursue the other
phases which include significant park amenities.
Public Input
Public engagement and feedback for
understanding the needs and visions of the community as they relate to the
project will be implemented through stakeholder meetings, public meetings,
in-person and online surveys, and project updates on the City’s website.
The City met with the PLEX Neighborhood Group
virtually on 8/16/22 and in person 10/16/22 in a charrette style meeting to
allow PLEX to voice their opinion on the design concepts. Minutes of the 10/16
meeting can be found in
the documents section below.
The first public meeting to discuss design concepts was held on
12/14/22 at 6pm in the Carlson Commons. Minutes of the 12/14 meeting can be
found in the documents section below.
Project Schedule – Phase 1 Improvements
- Winter
2022-23: Design trail and park improvements
- Late
Spring 2023: Publicly bid
- Summer/Fall
2023: Begin construction on Phase 1
- Spring
2024: Complete construction on Phase 1
Schedule is subject to
adjustments
Project Funding and Attributions
Design and
construction documents for the park improvements are prepared with funds
provided by the City of Rochester and DASNY.
Project Documents
Key files from the
stakeholder and public information meetings will be uploaded to the project
website shortly after they area held.
Questions?
If you have
questions or comments about the Exchange Street Playground improvements, please
contact Tyler Burke in the City’s Bureau of Architecture and Engineering at 428-7571,
or by email.