By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
The clanging at the old horseshoe courts at Bowling Green City Park has gone quiet in recent years. And the old oak tree that once shaded the courts has been removed due to root damage.
So the Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Department has made plans intended to continue bringing people to that section of City Park next to the pool.
Some of the oak branches are being returned to the site in the form of a sculpture, one horseshoe court is being refurbished, two cornhole courts are being added, and two inlaid chess boards are being installed.
Also, shade structures will be added over the bleachers for softball fans at the Eli Joyce Field, and a sidewalk to the field will be installed.
The Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Board heard about the planned improvements at City Park during its monthly meeting last week.
People using the cornhole, horseshoe and chess boards will need to bring their own beanbags, horseshoes and chess pieces to the park.
As park employees Kyler Clann and Emily Tracy worked on the cornhole and horseshoe courts on Wednesday, they said park patrons are excited about the addition of cornhole.
Nearby, artist Gail Christofferson and her team were working to erect the new wood sculpture. Their plan provides an opportunity to re-use the oak tree in creating a dome-like structure, possibly with and a seating area in the center of the dome.
“People don’t like to see a tree come down in a park,” Christofferson said.
The branches will be arranged in a teepee shape, secured to the ground with rebar and cement. Mosaic pieces will then be suspended in between the upper branches.
“It’s going to be super cool,” Christofferson said.
Also at last week’s meeting, Recreation Coordinator Ivan Kovacevic reported on summer activities in the parks. The kids’ camps are going strong, he said, covering topics such as nature, sports, BMX biking, and Safety Town.
The weekly lunches and concerts in the park are being well attended, with the Veterans Building being used in case of rain, Kovacevic said.
In other business, the board elected new officers, with Cal Bowers elected president, Phil Simmons as vice president, and Emily Keegan as secretary. New board member, Maria Simon, was welcomed to the board.
