New councilwoman April Lynne talks park updates, suggestions from the community
City employees work to spread mulch, donated by CedarSafe, at the Gainesville Hoerman Memorial Park, located off Highway 160 near the elementary school.
April Lynne, who was appointed to the city council in March, gave her fellow council members a report on the city-owned Hoerman Memorial Park.
Gainesville business CedarSafe recently donated mulch to the city, which was spread as ground covering at the park underneath various pieces of playground equipment.
Lynne said she’d talked with several people in town who have kids to ask what they’d like to see improved at the park. She said many said that better ground covering would be great, while others mentioned updating the swings and slides and adding ADA-compliant options for those in wheelchairs. Others mentioned they thought homeless people were sleeping at the park, and there were questionable people there after dark.
She also said that the city is hoping to have groups or organizations volunteer to help pick up trash at the park periodically. Those interested can contact City Hall.
Lynne said she’s working on two grant applications for the park. One grant, offered by Land and Water Conservation, would pay for 50% of the project, requiring the city to match the grant amount with its funds. The grant applications are accepted in August, and it would pay for playground equipment, pavilion updates (the posts need replaced, she said), landscaping, parking or whatever is needed. Lynne said before she applies, she’d need to know how much money the city would be willing to dedicate to the match.
The other grant through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources offers projects that utilize old Missouri scrap tires to provide either park ground cover or molded items like picnic tables.
The grant is up to $75,000, and no city match is required. The deadline is June 18, so she’ll work on submitting that application before the next council meeting.
The council voted to allow Lynne to apply for the grant due in June and check into additional grant opportunities for handicapped-accessible playground equipment.