Light night for Park Board; South Park sidewalk replacement tabled, public comment period starts for easel project

QUINCY — Didn’t make it to Wednesday night’s meeting of the Quincy Park Board?

Don’t worry. It only lasted 26 minutes, and the only business that could have been voted on was tabled for a month. Park Board President Mark Philpot was ill and did not attend. Neither did Commissioner Cecil Weathers. Barb Holthaus, board vice president, ran the meeting in Philpot’s absence. 

Much was discussed, but the agenda was short, and no major decisions were made.

The only actionable item on Wednesday’s agenda was a staff recommendation to accept a bid of $21,600 from Derhake Construction for a sidewalk replacement in South Park. Sections of brick within South Park’s large shelter areas have become uneven and are trip hazards for park patrons, and they are not ADA compliant.

Commissioner David Grimm said he visited the site earlier on Wednesday and spoke with Executive Director Rome Frericks and Director of Parks Matt Higley about possibly tabling the project and keeping — while upgrading — the sidewalk similar to its current form.

“There’s a beautiful approach to that building, and the brick that we have there, we’re going to just take those out (and replace) with concrete,” Grimm said. “(The bricks) have been there for a long period of time. Maybe incorporate the bricks into the concrete somehow.”

Grimm also suggested looking at replacing two steps on the west side of the shelter house and possibly getting rid of a walkway on the south side. He agreed the project could be more costly if brick pavers are used instead of concrete.

“If we do away with that south sidewalk, maybe we can come close to what we budgeted,” he said. “That’s really a neat approach. I’d like to try to salvage that again.”

“I think it would be interesting to see what the cost would be,” Holthaus said. “If we know it’s going to be more, that would definitely play into a decision.” 

“I think the decision table it a month is not going to hurt anything,” Frericks said. “If you want to spend more time, (that) lets Matt and I meet with contractors and get together with different ideas and present something next month.”

Commissioners also learned the Friends of the Lorenzo Bull House has requested approval to place two easels on the sidewalk that connects the Lorenzo Bull House and the Quincy Art Center. The design will allow visitors to “paint” with water. Officials with the Friends of the Lorenzo Bull House have said they will pay for all expenses, including installation. However, Park District policy requires a 50-day public comment period, which started Wednesday.

The Park Board will consider final approval of the project at its Aug. 13 meeting.

In other action, the Park Board learned:

• From Marcelo Beroiza, director of marketing, that Nature Trail East, the latest addition to the district’s trail system, recently received certification as a therapy trail by the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy.
• From Higley that a new shelter being built at Wavering Park has been put up, work is about to begin on a new restroom and electricians are on site.
• Rick Miles, superintendent at Westview Golf Course for 22 years, retired on May 30. Director of Golf David Morgan said the job opening was posted three days after Miles’ retirement.
• More than 150 people recently attended the first Movies in the Park event at the Paul Dennis Soccer Complex, and two more are scheduled for later this year.
• Chris Blakeman will continue to serve as president of the Quincy Park Foundation, with Jonathan Hoover to be the vice president, Steve Koester to remain as treasurer an Dave Rakers to remain as secretary.  Holthaus told the commissioners that former commissioner Patty McGlothlin was elected as a regular member.