Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Parks maintenance priorities had been focused primarily on repairs and keeping the grass at or below heights at which residents are expected to keep their turf.

However, we’ve now been authorized to bring on a bit more seasonal labor, to open and maintain parks restrooms and pavilions. So, parks restrooms are now open!

Adult softball

League play will begin the week of July 13 and games will be held, as usual, at the south complex within Todd Park. Restrooms will be open during games, but concession stands will NOT open this season.

Reminder: Current-at-the-time social distancing guidelines will still be in effect for activities at the complexes (as with elsewhere on public-serving properties) so please do your part.

Sanitary sewer line work

Please note that there is a sanitary sewer-pipe lining project being done in the area of 16th Avenue Southwest and Fourth Street Southwest, so the trail which leads from near that intersection to Bustad Park is presently blocked. We’re told the trail should reopen by approximately July 3.

Also related to sanitary sewer work, specifically in the South Todd Park softball complex, beginning at the concessions building, to Izaak Walton (Ike’s) Cabin, and then south to 21st Avenue Northeast, will be line work as was noted a couple of months back. The majority of this sanitary sewer line work will be underground boring, but septic tanks will also be removed from both the south softball complex and Ike’s Cabin. Weather permitting, the work should be completed by mid-July; Ike’s Cabin will likely be completed sooner.

Landscaping work at city hall

There is some minor landscaping work, which was contracted in October 2019, to be done at City Hall over the next couple of weeks. Thus, there may be some minor inconveniences near the entrances to City Hall. Thank you for understanding the need to get this work completed.

Summer rec for little gals and little guys

As restrictions continue to ease, peoples’ expectations do not. We know we can provide excellent programming at a pretty good value. However, we also fully realize that we would be challenged at ensuring social distancing of participants without adding substantial costs, costs which we could not absorb and would also not wish to pass along to participants. Thus, we likely will be foregoing any additional summer rec activities for young children this summer.

Changes at the office

Financial concerns are continuing to present new challenges which result in further changes and/or refinements to day-to-day city operations. Some of these changes include not re-hiring upon departure of full time employees.

This past week, this meant moving the face-to-face customer interactions point for Park and Rec to the Administration window within City Hall and incorporation of a phone switchboard. This move will save on administrative support staff costs and can provide the opportunity for cross training and better coverage of service hours.