Atlantic Parks and Recreation Director Roger Herring Monday evening updated the Parks & Rec Board on the status of fundraising efforts for Schildberg Recreation Area and other park improvements. With regard to a Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant, Herring said progress “Is movin.” Herring said they have authorization from the Feds and State to go ahead with the design phase of the Schildberg Lake #2 trail, and he hopes to have bid letting in July. Completion is expected to occur later this fall.

Herring said there was a delay in getting the grant approved, due to red tape with regard to “coding.”

Proposed additional trail around Lake #2 at the Schildberg Rec Area. (File photo from Feb. 2015)

Part of the trail is in the City limits, but since the original request was to have it outside the City limits, the powers that be had to re-evaluate the whole process. In other news, Roger Herring said he and Assistant Parks & Rec Director Seth Staashelm have been putting together a grant request from the Cass County Community Foundation that has to be turned-in by no later than May 31st. The application will be for anywhere from $15-to $20,000, for upgrades to some City Parks.

That includes Harl-Holt Park at 17th and Olive Streets, behind the old YMCA building. Staashelm says they would like to upgrade equipment at the park, including replacement of the basketball court at the park. Instead of replacing the concrete, they could install something called a “Versacourt,” Which is a plastic tiling outdoor system. The Parks and Rec crew can assemble and secure the system themselves, which would save on costs. Another benefit is different types of recreational lines can be placed on the court, including basketball and pickelball, to name but a few. The product has a 15-year warranty.

They also hope to update or replace some playground equipment at the Harl-Holt Park, and retrofitting the swing. Roger Herring said they are also working on a Vision Iowa grant application. Currently, they are soliciting Letters of Support for the grant application. That includes revisiting previous persons or entities that have supported prior grant applications, and a Resolution of Support from the City and others.

The goal is to submit the application by April 14th. In other business, Staashelm and Herring received approval from the Parks and Rec Board to have a special Online Reservations program created so that people can check to see what City Park shelters are available, and make reservations for the use of those shelters. The computer program and services would cost around $700. It would save Herring and Staashelm countless hours in scheduling and confirming shelter house reservations.