City improvements may mean more events

By Catherine Godbey, Staff Writer, The Decatur Daily

Promoters of parks, governors of green space and masters of maintenance — Parks and Recreation officials hold the upkeep and improvements of Decatur’s parks in their hands.
Current projects on tap, spanning from Northwest to Southeast Decatur, include a new playground, overhead lights, a press box and a concrete sidewalk.
Parks and Recreation Director Jeff Dunlap said a Community Development Block Grant will fund a playground at Jessie Lewis Smith Park.

Situated along Somerville Road Southeast, the new playground will feature slides, swings, a crawl tube and climbing equipment.
“In about two weeks, it will probably be completely installed, if the weather cooperates,” Dunlap said.
Monday, contractors took advantage of the dry weather, surveying the ground and delivering the playground equipment.
Block grant
The block grant, which targets low-income neighborhoods, also provided funding for overhead lights at Butch Matthews baseball field in Northeast Decatur, said Grant Administrator Allen Stover.
Combined, officials estimated the projects will cost $235,000.
While federal funds financed the playground and lights, the city’s hospitality tax funded the press box at Jack Allen Soccer Complex and sidewalks at Ingalls Harbor.
“No promises whatsoever, but we’ve got an NAIA women’s national soccer championship this November, and hopefully we can have the press box in,” Dunlap said. “If we do, that will save us the expense of having to pay for a temporary press box.”
In January, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics granted Decatur hosting rights from the 2009, 2010 and 2011 women’s soccer tournaments.
With the press box, Jack Allen can bid for the 2012 men’s soccer national championship, said Decatur-Morgan County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau President Tami Reist.
Without the press box, Reist said, NAIA would eliminate the soccer complex as a potential host.
Funds generated through the men’s tournament would cover the initial $150,000 cost of the press box, officials said.
Income
Previously, the tournament generated an average of 900 room nights and an economic impact of $500,000.
Parks and Recreation will also make improvements to another major tournament draw. At Ingalls Harbor, the department will install a $100,000 sidewalk system connecting the parking lot to the gangplanks.
“Right now the gangplanks come up to mud,” Dunlap said. “We want to at least get the sidewalk down to the gangplank so you can get on the sidewalk and stay on the concrete without walking through mud.”
Along with high-profile additions, Parks and Recreation is scheduled to repair the basketball goal at A.C. Banks Park, replace the roof on a building outside Old State Bank and resurface the wave pool at Point Mallard Park.
Parks and Recreation oversees operation of 23 parks, five recreation centers and four sports complexes.