Water is vital to our parks - an important part of creating a vital, healthy environment for plants and park goers. Too much water; however, can have the opposite effect, negatively impacting maintenance operations, athletic field usage, special events and passive recreational areas.
Several parks this fall are receiving drainage improvements, to help address issues related to poor drainage and standing water following heavy rains and snow melts in those areas.
“These issues range from nuisance ponding to repairing and improving existing storm structures,” says Dan Payne, Director of Parks.
The effected parks include Wilder, Wild Meadows Trace (east of Poplar Avenue), East End, York Commons, Butterfield, Berens, and Van Voorst Parks. Within the seven locations, the areas of poor drainage are a small percentage of the overall acreage, but significantly impactful to the aesthetics and recreational value of the sites.
“Once completed the areas will drain more rapidly and eliminate the need for maintenance staff to spend hours and sometimes multiple days pumping out standing water after major rain events,” says Payne.
Construction work began in mid-August and is expected to continue through the early part of October.
“This isn’t the most exciting and forward-facing capital project for the public, but the improvements will certainly have a positive impact on the effected park sites.”
