BY ANDY TAYLOR
Montgomery County Chronicle
CANEY — City councilors Monday night agreed to put time, attention, and some taxpayer money into improving city parks this spring.
It’ll mean new picnic tables and benches, some new playground features, and repairs to a skateboard park — complementing the recently completed electrical upgrades at Wark Memorial Park.
Councilors agreed with a recommendation from city administration Don Whitman to apply for a state grant, administered through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, to purchase eight benches and eight picnic tables made out of recycled tires. The total cost of the new benches and tables will be $5,424 with the grant paying 50 percent — or about $2,712 — while the remainder is paid through the citys’ park and recreation fund.
Whitman said several tables and benches will be placed at the Caney Swimming Pool.
The parks and recreation fund — which has a current balance of about $42,000 — will be tapped into to pay for new playground equipment. Under consideration by the council was the purchase of playground equipment geared toward smaller children. A Town Mushroom Kottage, geared for children age 9 months to 2 years); a Tea Cup Merry Go Round, for ages 5-12; and a Discovery Center, for ages 2-5, will be purchased at a total cost of $10,236. Mayor Dale McBride said he was hopeful to have the new playground equipment erected in time for the Mayfest celebration in late May.
Councilor Joe Taylor, whose ward includes North Park on North Wood Street, reminded Whitman, McBride and the rest of the council to pay attention to the needs of North Park.
“There are a lot more people who use North Park than what there used to be,” said Taylor. “Things are looking better there. So, let’s not forget about North Park.”
On a related note, councilor Jason Moore said several pieces of equipment at the skateboard park, located at Ridgeway and Fifth streets, were in need of repair or replacement.
Whitman said that because the skateboard park has been in operation for about three years, it would be a good time to consider replacing some of the broken or bent ramps and rails at the skateboard park. A special fund established solely for the creation of that skateboard park still has about $1,470 remaining in it, councilors were told.
“The whole thing looks pretty trashy,” said Moore of the skateboard park. “One of the ramps looks bent. There appears to be a homemade wooden ramp there, and some of the equipment has been removed and placed in the grass. I am still in favor of anchoring all the stuff down to the cement pad.”
Whitman said city crews would look at the condition of the skateboard park in the coming days.
Walt Moore, city superintendent, said city crews also would be in Wark Memorial Park this week to paint and cleanup the restroom facilities and provide other maintenance at the park.
He also noted that the electrical system upgrade at Wark Memorial Park was nearing completion.
