(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department’s Board of Directors met Monday evening, at City Hall. Parks Director Wyatt Adderton updated the Board on several matters. Adderton said he recently passed his training and certification for the Lifeguard class.

He said also, the date for the Park Party has changed.

In his Sunnyside Pool update, Adderton said he’s in consultation with a company working to finalize a design for the slide at the pool.

He said the hope is to have to slide installed before the pool opens. The opening date for the pool, by the way, is tentatively set for May 29th (Memorial Day). Wyatt said also, he selected Jenna Brownlee to paint a mural on the back of the pump house building for the Sunnyside Pool. She’s scheduled to complete the work May 1st through the 5th. Tom Berry was selected to paint the pool building in several different, main colors representative of what Board Member Jeremy Butler said would look “Very aquatic.”

Atlantic Parks & Rec Board meeting, 4-17-2023

He say’s in talks with Cappel’s Ace Hardware, they they should get a bit of a discount on the paint, so that will help with the costs. That project will also begin May 1st. And, with regard to the Splash Pad project, Adderton said City Hall is able to accept cash, physical checks, debit and credit cards from persons willing to donate. Board member & Fundraising Committee member Jeremy Butler reported he had received on Monday (Today), an anonymous donation of $50,000 for the project, which brings the current fundraising total at more than $100,000 toward the $600,000 goal.

Wyatt Adderton said some of the new, raised garden beds were installed today (Monday) and the old ones removed at Mollett Park (located at the end of East 3rd Street Place, off of Mulberry St.), in preparation for the leasing period that begins May 1st. Three of the beds have already been spoken for. Leasing applications are available on the Parks and Rec Facebook page and City’s Website. The raised beds cost just $40 per season, and what’s grown in them, are for private use and not public consumption.

However, there will be arioniaberry, cranberry, raspberry and blackberry plants available for the public to pluck the flavorful fruits. And finally, Adderton said new playground equipment will be installed at Harl-Holt Park, in Atlantic. The old playground set was removed and donated to a local apartment complex.

The equipment will span a pad of about 41-by-50-feet, and will include two towers. Assistant Parks Director Jeff Christensen reported to the Parks Board, that the bathrooms in the downtown City Park had been vandalized. The soap dispensers were broken. He said they are exploring whether or not a Wi-Fi monitored security camera system will work, considering the number of trees which may interfere with the signal.