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The preliminary plan, presented Wednesday at a public hearing Downtown, tries to preserve the natural and historic character of the park while opening it up to more uses.

"We want to recognize that people use the park in different ways today than in the '50s, while at the same time respecting the original design and intent," said Marion Pressley, a landscape architect whose Cambridge, Mass., firm drafted the plan.

The firm was hired by the Point State Park Planning Committee, a group established by the Allegheny Conference on Community Development and the Riverlife Task Force.

The plan calls for moving most special events and other activities from the rivers to the Downtown side of the park.

"It's the feeling of the committee they're not looking for more events in this area," said Jim Broadhurst, chairman of the planning committee. "We have wonderful events there, but it is causing havoc."

Highlights of the plan call for the following:

= Better historical interpretation through construction of a visitor center and the possible installation of bronze maps, cannons and an English flag bastion where children could play. The visitor center would be located near the portal and connected to Fort Pitt Museum by a tunnel.

= Improved access through bicycle and pedestrian trails and links across the rivers.

= Removal of the permanent stage, which is rarely used and considered obsolete. Instead, a temporary stage would be assembled and taken down for special events.

= Filling of the Fort Pitt trench to create a 131,000-square-foot grass field.

= The installation of benches and the availability of portable tables and chairs throughout the park.

= A barge for small performances along the rivers.

= Bicycle, kayak and canoe racks along the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers. Currently, bicyclists are not allowed in the park.

= Steps that descend to all three rivers.

= A new design of the fountain that would raise its profile and allow water to flow over the sides so that children could play in the water.

Among the nearly 70 people who attended the hearing, the plan satisfied Richard Russo, 45, of Level Green, Westmoreland County.

"I like the way they respected all the layers of history at the park," said Russo, a landscape architect.

Martin Nahenow, 71, lives in Gateway Towers across from the park. He considers noise from special events a "minor annoyance" now, but he wonders about the potential impact of moving concerts to the field closer to Downtown.

"It would be nice if the amphitheater faces the other way so the sound faces the river rather than back in the city," he said.

Another public hearing will be held in September. Pressley said she will not know the cost for improvements to the park until her firm completes the final master plan.

"The money will come from a whole host of sources -- public and private," said Lisa Schroeder, executive director of the Riverlife Task Force. "However, we have not yet started raising funds."

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