COEUR d'ALENE - Welch Comer engineers gave the Four Corners Master Plan Steering Committee an update on the progress they are making during a meeting at Coeur d'Alene City Hall Tuesday afternoon.

Dell Hatch and Phil Boyd, of Welch Comer Engineers, told the committee that the intent of the meeting was to get additional input on the direction they are taking with the project prior to presenting it to the public.

"We took the feedback you guys gave us in the last meeting and have put that into two drawings," Boyd said. "We've also done quite a bit of other legwork looking at the Memorial Grandstand and the parking over on the county parcel."

Hatch began the presentation by showing the committee two potential plans for Independence Point. The key difference between the two plans, according to Hatch, is where handicapped parking would be located after the current lot is removed.

One plan has a parking area that is centrally located at Independence Point, with the other being farther north, closer to the street.

Other features - a potential splash pad, a restroom, and a pathway that will allow people with disabilities to easily get to the beach area - were discussed as well.

Dick Stauffer, of Miller-Stauffer Architects, gave an update on the work with Memorial Field, particularly the grandstand area. He said that the one "loud and clear" voice at the previous meetings on the Four Corners Project was to keep the grandstand.

"It's in much better shape than you'd expect," Stauffer said. "We can keep it and it can be enhanced to meet present day seismic and load bearing standards."

The discussion then turned to focus on the entire master plan, which in its current state hinges on Mullan Road being closed. Garden Avenue would be expanded through Northwest Boulevard to meet the traffic needs left by Mullan Avenue.

Hatch called the Garden Avenue connection "critical" to the master plan and Stauffer added that without the connection it would be a challenge to "create something as special as this."

After the presentation was made, Dave Patzer, a member of the steering committee, stressed the importance of presenting more than one option of the master plan to the public.

"It's really important for people to see the process," Patzer said. "People like having options."

Boyd and Hatch agreed with Patzer and said they hope to hold the first of two public meetings sometime in November.