Parks department seeks upkeep funds

The Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department is seeking approval from the Bloomington City Council for $1 million for park maintenance and upkeep.

Generally, the money will be used for paving areas such as parking lots and golf cart paths, Parks and Recreation Director Mick Renneisen said.

“The goal of this appropriation is to tend to the maintenance and repair needs of parks’ facilities throughout the community,” Mayor Mark Kruzan said in an email.

Though the repairs are evenly distributed throughout the parks needing maintenance, Renneisen said some need more than others, such as the 38-year-old Winslow Sports Complex.

Bryan Park also needs updates to its restrooms, tennis courts and playground surfaces, Renneisen said.

Fifteen of Bloomington’s 40 parks require maintenance.

“The capital and maintenance needs of our parks have not been fully met in recent years due to budgetary constraints, and we are now in a position to begin making these investments,” Kruzan said.

The Parks and Recreation Department has annual repair money in its budget, but Renneisen said this is not the fund they are proposing to the council.

“These are things above and beyond our annual budget,” Renneisen said.

It has been about four or five years since the department has done significant work like this, but even then it was not up to this million-dollar threshold, Renneisen said.

Renneisen said the department takes care of $50 million of city assets including the 40 park sites.

“We’ve got a lot of things that we are responsible to take care of,” Renneisen said.

Besides the repairs at Bryan Park, the lights will be replaced in Peoples Park and additions and replacements to drinking fountains and park benches will be made at various parks.

It takes three weeks for the appropriation to transition the city council process, Renneisen said.

Next Wednesday the council will consider the request.

Then, on Nov. 13, the council will take a vote to approve or deny.

“This is a great thing. This will be something our community notices, recognizes it needs to be addressed and supports,” Renneisen said.

Renneisen said he believes the city will approve the appropriation.

He said the council has been apprized to the various parks in need in their districts.
“The projects will have an impact in all of the quadrants of the city and will benefit users at each of our city parks,” Kruzan said.

Follow reporter Mary Hauber on Twitter @mary_hauber.