By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
If the warm temperatures didn’t give it away, the activity at the city’s parks is proof that spring is here.
The prices have been set for concession stand hot dogs and ice cream cones at the city pool. The skate park has been repaired and is ready to roll. The outdoor restrooms are open for business. And the invasive garlic mustard weeds are being yanked out by the handfuls.
The Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Board heard Tuesday evening about all the preparations underway for summer.
At the pool, new splash pad creatures are being installed. And the board voted to raise some prices in the pool concession stand. “Any slight raise will help our bottom line,” said Parks and Recreation Department Director Kristin Otley.
Postcards will be sent out next week to season pass holders at the pool, to remind them to renew their passes for this summer.
Also in City Park, Ivan Kovacevic, the recreation coordinator, is preparing for day camps that keep kids busy every summer. This year will be a little different, he said, with the mornings again following certain themes, but later in the day kids will spend three afternoons in the pool and two playing sports.
The summer activity brochures can be found online and in several city and park locations around town. May 1 is the start of signup for city residents, and May 15 is the start for non-residents.
Also in City Park, the annual Friday lunches and concerts in the park are being scheduled. And repairs to the skate park have been completed.
“That is used so heavily,” Otley said.
Over at Wintergarden Park, the renovations to the nature center are progressing, and volunteers are returning to try to get rid of the invasive garlic mustard plants which are finally losing the battle in the 108-acre woods and prairie.
“It can come back and take over,” Natural Resources Coordinator Chris Gajewicz said. “It’s an all out war on this plant.”
But gradually, the garlic mustard is being weeded out, and native plants that had been crowded out are coming back, he said.
Another sure sign of spring is appearing with all the people being drawn to Wintergarden Park, Gajewicz said.
“There were tons of people at the park today,” he said. “It does your heart good to look out your window and see all these people.”
Gajewicz and Cinda Stutzman, natural resources specialist, are getting lots of requests from teachers to talk with students about the parks and the environment. Both have master’s degrees in teaching, so they enjoy supplementing the school curriculum, Gajewicz said.
“We are very proud to be able to get into the schools,” he said. “We don’t only have recreational activities. We also provide educational ones as well.”
Also at the meeting, the park and recreation board learned that Ridge Park benefitted from the sale of recycled pallet furniture made by BGSU construction management students for the Court Street Connects event last weekend.
The furniture brought in $887 for the park. “We can certainly use that,” Otley said.
Otley said a meeting was held recently with people in the Ridge Park area in an effort to get neighbors there to take ownership of the space and plan events there.
In other business, the park and recreation board:
- Learned the mosaic project at the community center will be dedicated on May 9, at 4 p.m. “It is unbelievably awesome,” Otley said.
- Heard the ribbon cutting for the splash pad creatures at the pool will be June 7, at 1 p.m.
- Got a report from Cheryl Windisch, of the park foundation, that the annual wine and cheese fundraiser will be held Sept. 22.
- Viewed the new furniture purchased in honor of long-time park volunteer Margaret Tucker, in the Simpson Garden Building.
- Learned the downtown business, Eden Boutique, donated 10 percent of its sales from a recent day, giving the parks just over $100.
- Heard the annual Adult Egg Scramble had 124 participants.
- Learned from Kovacevic that the obstacle course behind the community center will be used for a superheroes race, for ages 4 to 12, on May 20.
- Heard about the stroke awareness celebrity basketball game, complete with screenings by Wood County Hospital, on May 13, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the community center. The event will feature Antrone “Juice” Moore, who suffered a stroke at a young age. Mayor Dick Edwards will be one of the team coaches.
- Learned from Otley that the Gators swim team is hosting a major meet, which will require city pool to be closed to the public on July 15 and 16. The splash pad portion of the aquatic center will be open to the public for no charge during that time.
