Parks master plan concepts presented to city council

City recreation director Victoria Dunker presented potential plans from Ripley Design for the parks master plan and redesign at the Feb. 15 Holyoke City Council meeting.  

“I think Ripley did a phenomenal job,” she said. “It was fun to work with them. I think they put realistic plans together that we can utilize.”

The design boards presented to the council were broken down into two different plans. One was for the redesign of City Park and the other for the baseball/softball diamonds and the nearby area, known as the sports park. Opinions of cost from Ripley Design were also provided to council members.

“The next thing is to decide what the city can input and how important it is for us to keep moving forward with these plans,” she said. “I just need to know monetarily what the city is willing to put forth to make these projects possible.” She added that she’s not opposed to fundraising but said the support of the city is important when it comes to writing grants.

She noted that the two projects are aimed at different demographics. The City Park is more for the community and the public, and the sports park is more for getting people to town for tournaments and being used for high school and recreation sports.

Dunker pointed out that she received input from about 25 community members at community meetings about what they thought was the most important.

She said there needs to be an understanding of what it’s going to take from the city to move forward with the plans. When she goes to write grants, she will need to know that she has the city’s support and an idea of what the city can handle financially.

Potential major changes for City Park included the designing of landscaping to enhance the city of Holyoke sign that will be able to be seen from both the north and the south as people go by.

A shelter was also designed for under the water tower that could be another picnic area, incorporating the existing concrete for a stage. A new restroom and shelter would be built nearer the pool to accommodate swim meets, and a splash pad area would also be built near the pool. Head-in parking would be added south of City Park on East Johnson Street.

The possible design option for City Park also included two basketball courts in the fenced-in area where the tennis courts are now. One court would be strictly for basketball, and the other would be for basketball with the possibility of tennis — it would just be a matter of putting the tennis net up.

A pickleball/tennis court would also be added, allowing for four courts of pickleball or one court of tennis, since pickleball uses a smaller court than tennis. Another six pickleball courts, the southernmost of which could also be a tennis court, would replace the sand volleyball court and asphalt basketball court east of the current tennis courts.

Dunker said the sports park plan is a little more complex. The plan calls for turning the current gravel parking lot at the baseball/softball field into an asphalt lot.

Dunker discussed potentially adding a drop-off point near the small baseball/softball field and connecting East Furry Street to East Gordon Street with a pedestrian/car path to encourage the flow of traffic to East Gordon Street while allowing those who live at the far eastern end of East Furry Street to get to their residence.

The plan also calls for turning the small baseball/softball field into a regulation-size field.

She noted that the plan incorporates the need for soccer, which is one of the biggest recreation programs, with almost 160 kids playing last year. Two soccer fields would be added and could run north-south or east-west. A new concessions and plaza area with restrooms would be built. These would be centralized so people don’t have to walk all the way to the current bathrooms at the baseball/softball field.

She referenced that at community meetings for feedback, no one was interested in keeping the skate park. The plan calls for potentially putting another baseball field where the skate park currently is, but Dunker said she thinks this third field should be the last field built in terms of priority. It would not be regulation, and it would be for the younger kids who play T-ball and machine pitch.

In closing her presentation, Dunker said, “I think our money was well spent with Ripley. I think they did a fantastic job putting together these plans.” She thanked council members for believing in her and in the company in order to put the plans together.

She was quick to acknowledge that there was a whole group of people involved in coming up with the plans, and she thanked City Superintendent Mark Brown for helping with the streets, water and electrical aspects.

“It’s a very thought-out plan,” she said. “It’s not something we put together in a day, and it has lots of community input, too. It’s not just what I think we should do.”

Mayor Orville Tonsing commended Dunker on the work she did not only on the parks master plan but also on the recent Showdown on the Plains cattle show.

City superintendent position discussed

Council members briefly discussed the city superintendent position, since Brown will be retiring.

“I don’t know if we’re ready to proceed in its entirety because we have not discussed the salary or anything of that nature,” Tonsing said.

“I don’t think we’re ready tonight, by any means,” council member Kevin Scott said.

“I think we need to discuss salary one way or the other before we can move too far along,” said council member Brian Akey.

Council hears reports

Dunker reported that Showdown on the Plains was very successful. She said 160 exhibitors participated, and local restaurants, hotels and gas stations did great business the weekend of the event.

Brown reported that the water and sewer department has been working on quarterly water and wastewater testing for the state and rodding sewers.

Indoor lights at the city pool have been switched over to LED and are now in place. Street crews have been working at the cemetery and have been hauling grass from the bin on the west side of town to the airport.

Police Chief Doug Bergstrom reported that Holyoke Police Department handled or generated 55 calls for service from Jan. 27-Feb. 10, including one animal complaint under code enforcement.

He also reported that he has been dealing with a bank in Dallas, Texas, regarding the items in a yard on South Bowman Avenue near the county shop.

City Attorney Al Wall said charges could be filed to the owner of the property, the bank, and make them responsible. He said if that was the route they wanted to go, he would need a report filed so he can work on it.

City Clerk/Treasurer Kathy Olofson said she has been working with some of the members of Holyoke Volunteer Fire Department. They have submitted a pre-application with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and a public meeting will be held at the beginning of the March 15 council meeting with some of the firemen there to answer questions.

Akey reported that a new superintendent of Holyoke Golf Club has been hired and will start in March.

Other business

In other business at the Feb. 15 meeting, council members:

— Passed a resolution establishing rates of avoided costs for renewable energy pursuant to Nebraska Municipal Power Pool. This is the rate at which the city reimburses residents with solar panels on their homes if they don’t use all the electricity they produce.

— Heard from resident Gary Herr, who asked about the scheduling of a citywide cleanup this spring. Council member John Schneider requested that the topic be added to the agenda for the March 1 meeting.

— Approved payment requests for Showdown on the Plains, including $17,000 for cash payouts, $10,400 for top 20 winner checks, $1,500 for pavilion rental, $5,369.69 for banners and $127.20 for advertising.

— Appointed Julie Wiebke to a five-year term and Jes-c French to finish a vacated term of one year on the Heginbotham Library Board.

— Approved the tastings permit application renewal for Red’s Liquors.

— Hired Josie Schlachter as a lifeguard with a water safety instructor certification at $13.31 per hour.

— Held a one-hour-20-minute executive session to determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations and for a personnel matter.