Published: May 07, 2008 12:04 pm            

Parks board reveals Abe Raizen timeline

Parking lot not in Phase I

A timeline has been set, but many of the improvements to Abe Raizen Park will be contingent on the grading process.

During Tuesday’s Parks and Recreation Board special meeting, members discussed setting dates for several projects as a “best case scenario.” Community Development Director Dana Schoening used a large notepad to go over a few points and days with board members.

June 30 was marked as a possible end date for the grading process. Completion of the irrigation project was set for July 25. And, Aug. 15 has been slated for the sprigging process to end.

The only problem is, no date has been set for the grading process to begin. Schoening said it would start sometime in the next week.

“Everything has to fall perfectly in place,” Schoening said. “But remember, this isn’t a perfect world.”

He said none of the other projects can be done before the grading plan is finished.

He said the planned dates reflect when he thinks the projects will be completed, and figures in time for bids to be taken and accepted.

“The grading plan kicks it all in,” he said.

“We’re all kind of anticipating this.”

Aside from grading, the other projects, irrigation and sprigging, were discussed briefly. He said the irrigation project was tabled by the Duncan City Council and still had to go back to be approved.

Originally, instead of sprigging, Abe Raizen Park was going to be seeded. This was changed because sprigging can be done later and has a better chance of producing more grass. Schoening said the grass coming from sprigging would be more durable for game play.

“It’s a good turf that can take the wear and tear,” he said.

He said the main objective to be achieved through the project would be to garner more playable space.

“There’s an expectation for space,” Schoening said.

“The plan is going to be based on having those expectations met. That’s why we’re not sure about the dates. We need an agreement.

“We need as much usable space as we can get.”

Other projects, which were slated to be done this fiscal year, were touched on.

Those include a lighting extension for the soccer fields, a restroom and concession building, and Phase II of parking.

“We won’t be doing a parking lot,” he said. “Funds will be used to complete these projects (grading, irrigation and sprigging).”

He said the projects might include periodic check points to let people know about the process being made to the park.

And the dates, although preliminary, is a way to do that, he said.

“This is really a sketch,” Schoening said. “If we can get these dates, that would be really good.”

In other action:

n The board discussed maintenance agreement responsibilities at Abe Raizen Park.

“This is something I’ve been kicking around,” Schoening said. “There’s an expectation on maintaining Abe Raizen.”

He said he thinks the City of Duncan should get involved in maintaining the park once the park improvements are completed.

“The City needs to be more involved in maintenance of Abe Raizen Park,” Schoening said. “That’s just my opinion.”

Board members said the maintenance agreements should be filled out by the various sporting associations for each season.

These new agreements probably won’t become a factor until the park improvements are finished, Schoening said.

He said the agreements need to be more specific, especially for each sporting league, because they require different types of maintenance for their fields.

“Once everything is in place, we need to have this in place, too,” he said. “It’s (the park) an investment.

“I think we all want to work together, and this is the opportunity.”

n Two historic HOWCO (or what is now known as Halliburton) posts were approved for placement either by the Halliburton oil derrick in Fuqua Park East or near the statue of Erle P. Halliburton in Memorial Park.

n The meeting date for the board was changed to 5:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month. The board will continue to meet in the Duncan City Hall second floor conference room.

        

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