St. C. Memorial Park levy on ballot | News, Sports, Jobs

Picture Offered
J.P. and Pam Pack of St. Clairsville embrace after enjoying a spherical of pickleball at St. Clairsville Memorial Park. The park’s working levy is up for renewal on the Nov. 8 poll, and the board is asking for assist to proceed its renovation tasks.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The Memorial Park board is asking St. Clairsville and Richland Township voters to resume its levy on Nov. 8 to assist continued leisure companies.

“This levy is an working levy, and it’s used to pay the workers. It’s used for chemical substances on the pool, on a regular basis working bills like gasoline for the garden mower and rubbish baggage for the completely different shelters,” park board member Conrad Heydle mentioned, including it was first handed a decade in the past. “At that time, 10 years in the past, we have been near closing the park. We had cash to construct issues, to improve issues within the park, however we didn’t have the cash to function.

“It’s only a quarter-mill levy … and it’s a renewal,” he mentioned, including that the five-year levy generates about $80,000 yearly.

He mentioned a 0.25-mill levy would value $25 per $100,000 of property valuation.

Heydle mentioned there have been quite a few enhancements to the park in recent times. Two years in the past the 2 tennis courts have been resurfaced and a brand new pickleball court docket was put in.

Different additions embody an 18-hole golf course and paving on the basketball court docket. A brand new wall alongside Allen Pool was put in 5 years in the past when the outdated one was discovered to be collapsing. A strolling path was additionally put in in partnership with town.

“Your complete park has been paved. We’ve put in a smaller new playground subsequent to the Jaycee Shelter. We’ve simply accomplished that within the final yr,” he mentioned, additionally citing new shelter roofing. “Simply numerous different upgrades that folks don’t actually see.”

He mentioned the golf course and pickleball courts have attracted appreciable use, and the summer season pool season additionally noticed elevated attendance.

“We’re positively seeing an uptick within the variety of folks utilizing the park,” he mentioned.

Heydle mentioned sooner or later, the board additionally plans to interchange the rusted, 60-year-old fence across the pool.

Different plans embody renovating the bathhouse restrooms and including a neighborhood room.

“The bathhouse goes to look fully completely different for patrons sooner or later,” he mentioned.

There are additionally plans for brand new lighting for the tennis courts and new playground gear.

“We regularly take a look at methods to improve the park for our patrons.”

Ought to the levy fail, closure is likely to be a prospect.

“Proper now we do have a sure amount of cash from the levy that may preserve us going for some time, however that cash would finally run out,” he mentioned.

Heydle mentioned provide chain points have delayed some plans, however there aren’t any considerations about funding if the levy {dollars} are safe.

“So long as we’ve got the levy and get that cash in, we’re in fine condition,” he mentioned.