By Karen Cornelius
The Vermilion Parks and Recreation Board met on Tuesday, October 17, and discussed a variety of additions to the parks and the start of basketball season. The following are briefs from the official minutes:
Parks Use permits: Main Street Vermilion requested the use of Exchange, East Exchange, Victory, and Friendship parks, and an area of Main Street Beach for”Woof! A Dog’s Event” on September 8 or 15, or 22, or 29 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Chairman Elizabeth Wakefield tabled this permit until next month when a representative from Main Street could be in attendance to explain what is involved in this event. Main Street Vermilion also requested a permit to use several parks – Exchange, East Exchange, Friendship, and the Village Greens for February 3, 2018, all day, for the Ice A Fair/Fire-N-Ice. The board moved to approve this event group use permit.
Rec director’s report: Recreation director Chad Kuhns reported they are done with the baseball dugout at the high school. He said it has been a great project for the EHOVE students. Football season is finished, and it was a good one for the players. Currently, Kuhns is working on basketball court availability for the upcoming basketball season which starts January 2. Registrations will be going out to give youth a few months to sign up. The deadline will be December 21.
Parks supervisor’s update: Parks director Dana Corogin informed the board the light poles at Showse Park will be delivered in mid-December. The service director is getting pricing to install everything and working with contractors and Ohio Edison to prepare the site.
She stated that Vermilion in Bloom met at East Exchange Park in the area where they need to rehab all the bricks that are sunk in and which are a trip hazard. They will need to meet with the city engineer to examine the surface stability under the existing bricks.
Corogin asked for the board’s approval to plant three Magnolia trees at Sherod Park at a cost not to exceed $350, plus the parks department needs a telescoping pole saw at a cost not to exceed $500. Board members voted to approve both requests. Board member Bill Warden asked Corogin if they could get more picnic tables for Showse Park since they only have one there and it gets used often. She responded in the spring they can order more tables.
Wakefield House Development Committee: This committee overseeing plans to develop the former museum property had nothing new to report at the time.
Long-term financial sustainability: Parks chair Wakefield stated in regard to the Parks Levy, they are financially holding their own. She said a ton of people have been working on the levy and are generous with their time. Corogin thanked the board members for working so hard on the levy placed on the November 7 ballot.
Parks board schedule: The board will meet again on Tuesday, November 21, at 7 p.m. in the municipal complex on Decatur Street.
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