Memorial Avenue site to get sprucing up
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City Council authorized a contract for about $31,655 with Larson Design Group for a design for Lose Park, a planned project with $395,000 of investment for improvements to the park along Memorial Avenue.
The project and improvements will be paid for through the city obtaining a $145,000 grant from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and use of prior year Community Development Block Grant of $250,000, said Skip Memmi, city director of economic and community development.
Improvements are expected at the basketball court. Trees will be planted and seating will be put around a pavilion. Access to the park from Memorial Avenue will be improved. Drawings of the improvements are expected to be provided soon to the public works committee, said Councilwoman Bonnie Katz.
The project began under Stephanie Young, prior economic and community development director, who retired.
Surrounding the park are neighborhoods with families and senior citizen housing. It is heavily used by parents and those playing basketball, Katz said.
A community garden that is a part of the park is not specified for improvements in the design package. However, Mayor Derek Slaughter said a private citizen has reached out and may be interested in recultivating the community vegetable garden in the park.
Council also accomplished some other tasks, including:
• Authorizing River Valley Transit to purchase four compressed natural gas vehicles. The buses cost a combined $2.3 million, the majority of which is covered by state Department of Transportation grant. They are two 29-foot-long, one 35-foot-long and one 40-foot-long bus, said Adam Winder, general manager of transit. Computer software and related items also were approved for the transit system.
• Approved on first reading changes to the international building and international fire codes. These amendments align the city with 2015 standards used by the Uniform Construction Code throughout the state and memorialize fire code to keep residents, commercial and industrial properties safe.
• Approved real estate tax exonerations for two disabled veterans and nine properties that were involved in tax abatement programs.