Private investment may hold the key to the future of Boyce Park -- and Allegheny County's eight other regional parks.

Dan Onorato, Allegheny County chief executive, held a town hall meeting at Four Seasons Activity Center in Boyce Park last Saturday to gather ideas for his parks action plan. Similar meetings will take place at the other parks through June and the county staff will develop a master plan in cooperation with groups like Friends of Boyce Park.

About 100 residents turned out for the meeting, offering suggestions such as a camping area for recreational vehicles, off-leash dog park, bicycle rentals, a BMX bicycle park with jumps, bocce and horseshoe courts, motocross facilities and using the ski slopes for mountain biking during the off season.

Onorato used the gathering as a chance to introduce the concept of the county offering the private sector long-term leases to operate and maintain park amenities like Boyce's ski area, North Park's boathouse and golf course, and South Park's fairgrounds.

"We're never going to sell these parks" Onorato promised. "We are going to rethink everything we're used to seeing in these parks. We want to be creative."

Onorato cited the success of Oglebay Park in Wheeling, W.Va., where many of the amenities are now successfully run by private concerns while remaining the property of the city. He said the county would accept only those proposals that would not price the public out of the parks.

With the downsizing of county government, park staffing will never return to former levels, Onorato said. Maintenance has been deferred and in some cases is too costly for the county to do alone.

Boyce's ski area has been underused, although the ski area reopened in January after a $1 million renovation and, in two days, brought in 2,600 paid visitors compared with 4,000 for the whole 2006 season, Onorato said.

Onorato said a private company could take over operation of the ski area and increase revenues by offering a restaurant, coffee shop and concession and by using the facility for summer concerts. The tennis courts could also be run by a private concern, he said.

Darrell Rapp of Plum Creek Watershed Association and others supported trail improvements and constructing a connecting trail from Boyce Park to the trail along the Allegheny River.

Boyce Park is in line for new playground equipment and will have a new paved walking trail alongside the park's main road, said Andy Baechle, county parks director. The county also has purchased equipment for movies in the park events.

The county executive has formed the non-profit Allegheny County Parks Foundation to raise $10 million in private funds. He said the county will match that amount dollar for dollar, providing a needed boost for the parks system.

An online survey to gather public input for the action plan to improve Allegheny County's nine regional parks is available at www.alleghenycounty.us/parks.