By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Bowling Green City Council took steps Monday evening to improve a city park and expand a technology park.
Council heard the first reading of an ordinance authorizing the public services director to advertise for bids for improvements at City Park. Funds were included in the 2022 budget to repave City Park Drive, improve the pool and maintenance parking areas, upgrade lighting, purchase additional security cameras, and construct a walking path around City Park.
Walkers and joggers at Bowling Green City Park will no longer have to share the pavement with motor vehicles once the pathway is paved around the park.
Throughout the year, the park is used by many members of the community for exercise – and having adequate space for all patrons during busy times can be difficult, city officials have said.
Since City Park Drive and two parking lots are in need of repair, the timing for adding the walking path is ideal, according to city leaders.
“We have talked about it over the years,” Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Director Kristin Otley said earlier this year about the walking path. “It will be nice to give people space to get away from traffic.”
“People really like that outer loop because it’s a half mile,” Otley said. And adults can go for a stroll while their children are at the pool, playing ball or in a park program. “They can get their steps in.”
The cost for all the improvements to City Park is estimated at $250,000.
In order to get a construction firm under contract before the end of the paving season, it was requested that council give the legislation a first reading Monday evening, followed by the second and third readings on June 20.
In other business, council voted to transfer from acreage in Innovative Technology Park, on the southeast corner of the city.
An unnamed company has expressed interest in an existing cold storage facility in the business park, located on the north side of Napoleon Road, east of Dunbridge Road, according to Bowling Green Director of Public Utilities Brian O’Connell.
In 2017, Apio Inc. purchased property in the Innovative Technology Park and constructed a cold storage building for its vegetable products. Then in early 2021, Apio became Curation Foods and the business was sold to Taylor Farms in December of 2021.
But Taylor Farms closed this facility shortly after the acquisition.
The vacant building is located in the northwest corner of the business park. A buyer is working to purchase the building from the current owner and is also interested in acquiring approximately 1.35 acres to the east of the site to expand the facility.
The interested party has agreed to purchase the property for $40,000 which is approximately $30,000 an acre, O’Connell said.
As done with past business park real estate transactions, the 1.35 acres will be transferred from the city to Bowling Green Economic Development. The city will receive a credit of $10,000 an acre on next year’s BGED dues which would be approximately $13,500 for this property transfer. The remaining proceeds will be used by BGED for future economic development opportunities.
