The Robie Park Steering Committee has approved a master plan design that now hinges on Gorham Town Council action to be implemented.

Town Council Chair Suzanne Phillips said Tuesday that the master plan will be presented to the council at its Feb. 6 meeting with a vote anticipated in March. The final design will be available for public viewing at Baxter Memorial Library and the council will hear public comments before the vote.

The plan calls for amenities that include a gateway with educational signs, restrooms, bike racks, a shaded picnic area, loop trail, play areas, new trees and benches. It also calls for a basketball court to be relocated between the softball field and high school Access Road.

Town Councilor and Park Committee Chair Phil Gagnon said the council will need to review the financial aspects to determine when work would begin.

The town has $275,000 of federal American Rescue Plan Act funds set aside for the park upgrade. The Town Council’s Finance Committee, meanwhile, is reviewing improvements for the park’s softball field, used by the high school team, playing surface under a separate review.

The council in 2022 appointed the committee to develop a plan to improve and preserve the 6.7-acre park near the high school. The action came after the School Department with Town Council approval removed a tree grove near the park softball field because of safety concerns.

The cutting raised neighborhood fears the park would be lost.