But overall, the plan envisions "no significant changes in land use or traffic patterns" in the park during the next 20 years.

Park officials instead will continue their "stewardship of the unique character of Audubon Park," seeking "to improve the beauty of the park" and "ensure its historical integrity," the plan says.

The "90 percent draft" of the plan was posted last week on the Audubon Nature Institute's Web site, www.auduboninstitute.org, under the "Audubon Park" link.

The draft includes the basic text of the master plan but not a large number of appendices spelling out details of proposed changes. Those are expected to be available by Oct. 15.

Audubon officials intend to hold a public meeting on the draft plan in December or January, with the goal of having the final document ready for the Audubon Commission to adopt by April.

Unlike the master plan process that cash-strapped City Park just began, the draft plan at financially healthier Audubon says little about money issues, although it does mention that the park "receives no public funding for operational expenses" and that "the participation of the private sector . . . is crucial to its long-term success."

When Audubon officials began work on their plan nearly two years ago, they hoped to finish it by the end of 2003. But work slowed after two public hearings in 2003, and for several months little progress was made.

At the hearings, the two possible additions to the park drawing the most support were a meditation labyrinth in the area between Magazine Street and the railroad tracks near the river, and a concrete "skate park" for skateboarders and in-line skaters in the Riverview section. Each idea was strongly endorsed by many speakers.

The master plan calls for creating a 60-foot-wide circular labyrinth "of brick and stone paving materials set in a landscape setting and adjacent to a crushed stone paved meditation walk, with landscaping and benches."

But the plan makes no mention of the idea of a skate park, and officials said no such facility is planned.

One of the issues on which Audubon sought public comment at the hearings was whether to install additional lighting along the jogging path that circles the golf course, thus allowing increased evening use.

Comments were sharply divided, with some speakers endorsing the idea because it would make the path usable by more runners, walkers and bikers. But others said attracting more after-dark users would only increase the likelihood of attacks on other users and neighbors.

The draft master plan says that improving the lighting on the path "is appropriate to enhance (its) safety and enjoyment," but the improvement will be modest. No extra lights will be added, but the existing lights will be replaced with new poles and bulbs that provide greater illumination. To avoid annoying neighbors, the lights will be directed downward, not up into the trees.

Otherwise, the plan says, few changes are planned in the front section of the park, between Magazine Street and St. Charles Avenue. More lighting is planned at the ceremonial St. Charles Avenue entrance. Three shelters will be renovated and their restrooms upgraded. A small playground will be added near the Newman Bandstand and the golf clubhouse.

Drainage will be improved in certain areas, "steps will be taken to address the long-term water quality in the lagoon," and there will be increased emphasis on caring for the nearly 2,500 trees in the front section of the park.

To the dismay of critics of the recent reconstruction of the Audubon golf course and construction of a new clubhouse, that work was nearly complete before work on the master plan began, meaning the plan does not even consider the question of whether to retain the course or have a clubhouse. Instead, it hails the renovated course as "a phenomenal success" and the clubhouse as "a wonderful, relaxing way to enjoy the beauty of Audubon Park."

Besides the labyrinth, only a few changes are planned in the section of the park between Magazine Street and the railroad tracks. As already announced, the stables will be demolished this fall, with the expectation that a new building will be erected in the same spot.

The area between the stables and the railroad tracks will be reworked "to enhance a more peaceful and tranquil usage," with open green space replacing an old shelter, a shell road and a shell parking area.

The tennis courts will not be expanded, but their "support and infrastructure facilities" will be improved, and higher fees for using the courts are anticipated. The lighting for the athletic fields near the tennis courts will be upgraded.

In the Riverview section that was first turned into usable space in the 1960s, a new building is planned on the site of the concrete "butterfly" building demolished in the 1980s. The new building, part of which will be rented for receptions or other events, will extend over the river.

In the downriver section of Riverview, the large baseball diamond will be replaced with four smaller fields, one of them a "miracle field" for use by children with disabilities, and a new restroom and concessions building.

The small restroom building in the upriver section of Riverview will be replaced with a new shelter and restroom building that park officials hope will accommodate patrons of some of the large events now using the shelter near Magazine Street, relieving pressure on the older part of the park.

Lighting along the edge of the river will be improved, and batture trees will be removed to give better views of the river.