A couple of local groups have stepped forward to offer their labor and funds to construct a horseshoe pit at Sunnyside Park in Atlantic, as one of many activities designed for those 55 and older, looking for outdoor fun. Parks and Rec Director Roger Herring spoke to the Parks Board Monday evening about the potential uses for a 63-by 100-foot area south of the new Maintenance Building on the park grounds. Herring said the Trevor Fredericksen Foundation and Dean Orstad family have agreed to make the horseshoe area a reality.

Atlantic Parks and Rec Director Roger Herring talks about the proposed Senior Activities Area at Sunnyside Park.

The Board approved Herring moving forward with plans for a Senior Activities Area at Sunnyside, which will include getting the costs for engineering grading the site in preparation for use. Herring said there is money set aside in the budget specifically for Senior Activities, and with the two groups agreeing to provide the labor and expertise for the horseshoe throwing pit, there shouldn’t be any extra costs involved.

In other business, the Parks and Rec Board approved the 2014 Summer Recreation Program, which includes men’s slow pitch softball and the possibility of merging that with a group from Marne, and swimming pool fees along with the hiring of an on-site manager for the pool. Herring proposed opening the pool on Memorial Day weekend (the day after school closes) and closing it the day before school begins. In the past, the pool was open from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

The hours of operation would also be reduced,  from 1-to 6-pm, which is a change from last years hours of 1-to 8-pm, due to a lack of demand for the later hours. Options will be available for those groups wishing to hold parties at the pool outside normal hours of operation, such as from 6-to 8-pm.

Rates for the pool would be $4 per day for persons 12 years of age and up, and $3 for ages 3 to 11. Under three would be admitted free. There would also be a reduction in the price of a family pass from $105 per season to $90, and the single adult fee would go from $70 to $60 for the season. Herring also proposed, and the board agreed, to cut the number of life guards from 11 to 8, and eliminate the concession stand workers, with the idea being to save money by giving the lifeguards longer shifts or more hours, and rotating some of them into the concession stand operations when the number of persons in attendance at the pool is less.

The Board also agreed to raise the fee for youth tennis by $5, but the swim teams fees would remain the same. The Special Recreation Playground program would be eliminated because the YMCA currently offers that service.

The Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department’s Board of Directors, Monday, tabled action on a request by Cass County Public Health Tobbaco Prevention Coordinator Karla Akers, for the implementation of a policy to make tobacco free the skate park portion of Sunnyside Park.Parks and Rec Director Roger Herring said the skate park should not be “singled out,” as an area of bad influence for kids, just because there are persons who are of legal age smoking there.

Akers said she doesn’t see the skate park as a “bad area,” but it is an area where kids can go to remain tobacco free or away from tobacco influences. Last month, the Atlantic City Council voted against passage of an ordinance with would have made the entire park tobacco free, because the laws already in-place with the Smoke Free Air Act were not being followed, with regard to signage in the park, and, they were of the opinion that it is not the City’s responsibility to send a message to kids not to smoke or use tobacco. The Park Board feels the same way.

It was obvious during the meeting there is still a great deal of confusion among the Park Board about what the Smoke Free Air Act covers as far as outdoor venues. Akers suggested she could bring in a representative from the Iowa Department of Public Health to clarify the law, but Board member Charlene Beane said the Parks Board has heard from the City Council and the Park Board has stated its position, and its time to let it rest for a while.

Beane said “To make it any more of a big deal than it’s already been made…is just making a mountain out of a mole hill.” Herring said he wanted to get more information from the National Parks Board with regard to tobacco policies in city parks. The Board agreed to hold-off on any further discussion until more information is available on ways to proceed.