By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Bowling Green voters will likely see a parks and recreation levy on this November’s ballot.
On Tuesday evening, the BG Parks and Recreation Board voted to support the recommendation of its levy committee and seek approval to put a levy before voters. That recommendation will now go to City Council, which requires three readings of such an ordinance before passage.
The levy committee faced the economic reality that despite making cuts to expenses, the parks and rec department has been encountering more expenses, and consequently has been operating with a deficit budget for the last three years.
The committee – led by board members Tom Ross as chairman, and Emily Keegan as vice chairman – came to the conclusion that when the current 2-mill levy expires in December at the end of its fifth year, the park board should seek a renewal of those 2 mills, plus ask for an additional 0.95 mills.
The existing 2-mill levy generates $1.197 million annually, costing the owner of a home valued at $250,000 approximately $132 a year, Ross explained. If passed by voters, the new 2.95-mill levy would generate about $1.748 million annually, and cost the owner of a $250,000 home approximately $215 a year, he added.
Bowling Green City Parks and Recreation Department operates nine parks and the community center with new outdoor pickleball courts. The parks, which are spread throughout the community, are settings for sports, nature, gardens, swimming, playing and gathering for special events.
The park sites include two small pocket parks – Bellard Park and Raney Playground – that provide some green space for neighborhood kids to play, butterfly gardens and benches.
Other larger parks are:
- Carter Park, which includes several ball fields for young T-ball and softball teams, a disc golf course, and an inclusive playground for people of all abilities.
- City Park, which features the city’s swimming pool, a skatepark, basketball court and ballfield, plus a playground and walking path around the drive circling the park. The park also offers the Veterans Building, Needle Hall and several shelterhouses for rental.
- Conneaut Park, which provides a sledding hill for winter activities and open space for youngsters to practice athletic skills the rest of the year.
- Dunbridge Road soccer fields, where youth and adult teams compete during warmer months.
- Ridge Park, which offers a playground and open space for play, and which now has a new dog park open to the public on the northern section of the property.
- Simpson Garden Park which includes a walking path meandering through gardens, past sculptures and water features. For children, a portion of the park was restored last year for exploration and play. The building at Simpson is also used for many community and family occasions.
- Wintergarden/St. John’s Nature Preserve offers trails through woods and prairies, providing space for people to view native plants and wildlife in the region. The park provides opportunities for many nature programs for children and adults during all seasons of the year.
