Board to make park accessible (06/04/08)

A local board may have found a way to make a Portland park more handicapped accessible.

Members of the Portland Park Board met Tuesday and discussed a letter to the editor published in The Commercial Review.

In the letter published Tuesday, Portland resident Penny Sanders said because the city recently had metal posts installed around the perimeter of Haynes Park, her handicapped relatives no longer could access the center shelter. She previously was able to drive near the shelter and drop them off.

Park board member Sharon Bubp brought up the topic Tuesday night.

Assistant street and park department superintendent Doug Blankenbaker said, "I know it's an inconvenience" for the handicapped.

Bruce Hosier, mayor of Portland, said the city plans to extend existing sidewalks that run from both the east and west edges of the park and the south edge, to the center pavilion, which has restroom facilities.

Hosier said the sidewalks would be wider than normal to accommodate wheelchairs. City officials hope to have the sidewalks in place by July 4, he said.

At the end of the meeting, local resident Doug Lewis thanked the board for extending the sidewalks.

"I'm glad to see that we're getting everything handicapped accessible," he said.

In other business Tuesday, board members voted to purchase new signs for two city parks.

One will be purchased for Milton Miller Park at a cost of $350 and another for Portland Memorial Park at a cost of $650.

Blankenbaker said the Indiana Department of Natural Resources recently told city officials that changes to the two parks were funded by DNR grants and needed signs stating such. He said Milton Miller currently has no sign stating the name of the park, and the paint on the sign at Portland Memorial Park is peeling and the sign needs replaced.

Blankenbaker said the DNR offered to sell the city signs, but the signs would not include the names of the parks.

He said he did not know when the city was given DNR grants for the parks or how the funds were used.

Also Tuesday, board members:

•Learned that a section of concrete on a wall of the Portland Pool had to be replaced recently.

Blankenbaker said every year, any parts of the pool that are crumbling are chipped away and replaced. He said a portion of the south side of the pool was crumbling and when the outside pieces were removed, it continued to crumble. That portion of the pool had to be removed and replaced, he said. The work cost about $2,400.

•Voted to purchase six roll up overhead doors for the main shelter at Haynes Park at cost of $3,690.

Blankenbaker said there have been several vandalisms at city parks this year. The center shelter at the park has been vandalized in the past, and the homeless sometimes live in the shelter at night and leave trash behind.

The doors could be pulled down when needed, he said.

•Voted to purchase new chains for swings at Haynes Park, and picnic tables and grills for the new shelters at Haynes Park and Portland Memorial Park.

The chains for the swings at Haynes Park are old and have been breaking, Blankenbaker said. Chains for six swings will be purchased at a cost of $360.

Seven metal-framed picnic tables and three handicapped accessible tables will be purchased at a cost of $3,786. Also, two grills will be purchased at a cost of $128 each.

•Approved the purchase of several items for the Portland Pool.

Five lounge chairs, five regular chairs and three umbrellas will be purchased at a total coat of $1,795.

Pool manager Rachel McKee said there are not enough chairs for the sundeck area and there is no shade.

•Gave permission to two local churches to use Haynes Park for events this summer.

Hugh Kelly, pastor of Fellowship Baptist Church, asked for permission to use the park on Sept. 21 to hold church services.

Also, Ryan Henry of The Rock asked to use the park Aug. 6-8 for Vacation Bible School.[[In-content Ad]]