The City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Board Monday evening received a check from local developer Don Sonntag.

Developer Don Sonntag addresses the Atlantic Parks & Rec Board.

The check, in the amount of $2,500 was part of Sonntag’s commitment to develop the East Ridge Park area over the course of 10-years. The City committed to maintaining the park through mowing and other activities. Sonntag said in the future, he’d like to see a source of water for the park, for the planting and annual maintenance of flowers.

In other business, Parks and Rec Director Roger Herring provided the Board with an update on the development of the Schildberg Recreation Area Campground.  He said the City’s Street Department has been hard at work grading and prepping the area for a gravel roadway and camping pads. He said also, the crews have done as much as they can do for now, with four-inches of gravel laid-down for the roadway and 12 out 18 camping pads. Work will resume on that activity, in the Spring.

In addition, Herring says talks have been underway with Atlantic Municipal Utilities to have water and electric installed for the camping pads sometime next Spring, and a local manufacturer has expressed interest in that part of the project. Herring says Owner Revolution/Plastic Professionals is working on plans to install camp-pad pods, which are roto-molded plastic structures designed to house water and electricity for each of the camping pads.

He says also, plans for a dog park at the Schildberg Recreation Area are continuing. The Board approved a request from Herring to ask the Atlantic City Council on Wednesday, for permission to release a section of City-owned land near the park. The site across Buck Creek Road next to the recreation area is City property which has not been identified as a park. The Park Board also approved the Dog Park Committee’s request to begin a fundraising program that would help pay for development of the dog park, primarily for fencing, which is expected to run about $10,500, but also for benches and other amenities at the dog park, such as equipment for the dogs to play on. Herring says while the focus currently is on a dog park at the Schildberg Recreation Area, it doesn’t exclude the possibility of one being located in-town, perhaps at the Sunnyside Park.