More picnic areas, artistic sculptures, and an accessible boat ramp are at the heart of Byron Carr’s ambitious plan to transform Riverway Park in Contoocook Village.

The 7,500-square-foot park along the banks of the Contoocook River has long served as a community gathering place. It hosts a variety of events, from farmers’ markets to concerts, and offers a charming setting for locals to eat their lunch while watching the river pass by.

In the past year, the town has made several significant upgrades to the park, including installing new grass with irrigation, expanding the parking lot, repaving and restriping paths and removing invasive plants.

An Abenaki sculpture has also been installed to highlight the Abenaki’s cultural presence.

But Carr, an artist, believes there is still more to be done. He envisions enhancing the park’s visual appeal and has developed a master plan to transform its look and feel.

“The concept that we have at this point is trying to keep it simple, but keep it so that we can aesthetically guide the selection in the future,” explained Carr. “It’s more guidance than rules.”

Since last fall, Carr has actively led the park’s improvement efforts by forming a community group to receive public input.

Despite the select board’s decision not to officially endorse a committee, Carr continues to hold regular meetings at the park to gather ideas from local residents.

On Tuesday evening, Carr set his master plan drawings on a table at the park and spoke to residents about his ideas to revitalize the green space.

While Carr has been busy crafting his master plan, Hopkinton’s Economic Development Committee has also been working on improving the park, tackling enhancements piece by piece over the past four years.

Anna Wells, the town’s economic development director, noted that while the past year has seen some quick improvements, more significant issues remain.

A key focus is the development of an accessible boat launch, which she emphasized as a vital enhancement for the park.

“Everyone agrees, it is a really important aspect of the park, but is a much harder thing to accomplish because it’s on a scenic river,” explained Wells. The Shoreland Protection Act applies to the riverbank because it’s a protected waterway. “It’s a big ticket item with a lot of permitting and planning involved.”

Wells hopes that an accessible boat launch could be completed within the next year or two, but she estimates the cost could exceed $100,000.

Carr admitted he was uncertain about the costs of installing the elements in his master plan, which also includes a small swing set for children and benches for viewing the river and the Contoocook Railroad Covered Bridge.

He hopes to present his ideas to the select board next week and also get approval. But if that doesn’t work out, he plans to bring the proposal to the town meeting by petition.

“I think the full town should vote on this. The selectmen will know the desires of the town when they’re trying to make decisions about what goes in the park and where it goes,” explained Carr.

With his master plan for Riverway Park, Carr envisions a brighter future for the community.

“The goal is to make the park aesthetically pleasing if done right,” Carr explained. “A lot of people stop to see the covered bridge and if you can get them to maybe go  through to town and buy a couple things to have for a picnic that would help the businesses in town.”