At the March 12, 2018 Park Board meeting, Park District staff and the Board’s ad hoc IT committee provided updates regarding the District’s registration software, RecTrac from Vermont Systems, Inc. (VSI). The software ran at an unacceptably slow rate of speed during registration on February 24, 2018, causing concern amongst residents trying to sign up for programs.
One of the values the Park District emphasizes is being Community Focused – at the end of the day, it’s all about the community we serve. Improving the accessibility of our parks and facilities for all community members is an important part of maintaining that focus.
As the home to many Park District programs, including dance, preschool and gymnastics, it’s important that Wagner Community Center is maintained to ensure a safe recreation space for the community. An upcoming roof restoration project will contribute to keeping the building properly maintained. At the March 12, 2018 Park Board meeting, the Board approved restoring the existing roof system over the registration and staff offices, classrooms and Multipurpose Room A at the Wagner Community Center.
Plans for the redevelopment of Conrad Fischer Park playground moved forward at the Monday, February 26 Park Board meeting, with the Board approving the Playground Redevelopment Project and Safety Surfacing Project. The playground plan includes replacing the existing playground with new equipment which allows for more climbing opportunities, providing additional seating, replacing the wood chips with a new unitary surface and constructing a barrier around the playground. Modern, green and blue equipment will be installed and be designed for the 2-5 age group.
Visitors to the Salt Creek Park softball field will soon have a new way to practice their swing, as the Park Board approved the installation of batting cages in the park at the February 24 Park Board Meeting.
Installed in 2008, the two existing synthetic turf sports fields at Berens Park are popular sites for soccer, football and lacrosse. However, after ten years of use, replacement is necessary to continue to provide a safe and functional surface for play and to meet the high demand for field usage, by both the Park District and affiliate athletic groups.
This spring, residents can look forward to new trees coming to Park District parks. As the Park District works to maintain and update existing parks, open space and amenities, it realizes that the shade, beauty and environmental benefits trees provide are an important part of a park visitor's experience. At the February 12, 2018 board meeting, the Park Board approved a bid of $22,702 to plant 82 trees throughout the parks.
Maintaining the parking lots and paths at District parks helps visitors access the parks safely and is an important task that aligns with the District’s goal of maintaining amenities.
At the February 12, 2018 board meeting, the Park Board approved a bid of $195,415 for a paving, seal coating and striping project for the west parking lot of Berens Park as well as the parking stalls along Oaklawn Avenue. The work will also entail repaving deteriorating paths at Conrad Fischer Park.
The Bicentennial Fountain and its surrounding area in Wild Meadows Trace, will receive some improvements in spring 2018, just in time for residents to enjoy the space this coming summer.
In an effort to make accessing Park Board documents more streamlined and user-friendly, Park Board meeting agendas, minutes and related material will now be available electronically through Board Docs.
This cloud-based service improves the District’s governance processes and its communication with the community, while saving staff time and taxpayer dollars. The easy-to-use service allows immediate publishing of Board meeting documents and policies, giving community users quick access to the most up-to-date information.