Atlantic Parks and Recreation Director Roger Herring, Wednesday, updated the City Council on various projects his department completed over the past year, and those still to come. Herring, who succeeded Travis Garrett as Parks Director about 10-months ago, said among the projects completed, was the Bull Creek Pathway, which was finished last Fall, and includes a new, eight-foot wide asphalt surface, that’s about 5-inches thick. Herring said the Parks Department has since received many favorable comments from the public about the clean-up and work done along the trail. He says also, numerous improvements have been made to Sunnyside Park, with more still to come. The improvements over the last year have included: the resurfacing of the parks’ roads, and the addition of Disc Golf, which Herring said continues to be a huge attraction for out-of-town groups and individuals. 

In addition, the Lake Number 1 trail at the Schildberg Recreation Area was completed last Fall. The trail he says, added another four-tenths of a mile to the existing 1.1-mile trail around Lake Number 3. Herring says he hopes to establish a link on the City’s official website showing a map of all the trails around the Recreation Area. You can view the map on our website at www.kjan.com, by using the search tab to find our March 20^th story on Summer Rec Programs and Schildberg Improvements or by clicking on this link to the story http://www.kjan.com/index.php/2012/03/atlantic-parks-rec-board-approves-summer-rec-programs-schildberg-improvements. Herring says the trails are being heavily used from dawn to dusk, especially with the recent warm weather. More than a dozen benches have also been added around the lakes at the recreation area. 

Herring pointed out that most of the projects in the Schildberg Quarry Recreation Area have been accomplished with volunteer time and labor, and without much expenditure of City funds.

Projects on the drawing board or in the works include: The addition of a campground at the Schildberg Recreation Area, and an off-leash dog park; Additional improvements to Sunnyside Park, which includes: new fencing at the softball field, new grills/and or fire pits for cookouts at the shelters, repairs to the Kiddie Corral shelter, reconstruction of the tennis courts later this Summer or early Fall, restrooms repairs and necessary upgrades at the Sunnyside Pool. There will also be new playground equipment purchased for, and installed at the Pellett and Holt Parks. And, finally, there will eventually be a new Parks and Rec Department office and maintenance building at Sunnyside Park.