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Marion set to spend on parks projects

City has just over $ 1 million earmarked for improvements

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Marion will build decorative backstops at the remaining four softball fields at the Sports Complex and is also planning to do something to stop erosion at the lake.

Mayor Frank Fogleman said the Parks and Recreation Committee has decided that those two projects are the top priorities that the city wants to spend their portion of the bond money on to improve. Voters in March approved refinancing some old bonds which will raise $16 million for another round of capital improvement projects. Of that $16 million, $1.075 million is for city park improvements.

The city partnered with the high school about two years ago to enlarge the dugout and to add a decorative backstop at the girl’s softball complex.

Mayor Frank Fogleman said they were pleased with the results of the backstop and will go ahead and add them to the remaining fields.

“There are five fields out there,” Fogleman said.

“(Parks and Recreation Department Director) Andy (Rawls) acted as the contractor on one and we liked the results. So we are going to do the other four.”

The cost to install the backstops is about $200,000 to $225,000.

Fogleman said the committee also decided that the lake needs attention as well.

“Erosion has been a problem out there,” Fogleman said. “So we talked about replacing or at least sloping the banks and putting rip rap on it, or possibly creating some kind of peninsulas or barriers with large stones to break the wind from creating the erosion.”

Fogleman said West Memphis had a similar problem at Gammon Lake and took steps to combat the erosion. The cost to stem erosion is expected to cost about $275,000 to $300,000.

Other proposed projects include resurfacing the parking lot at the Sports Complex, improving the restrooms, developing a tball park, adding restrooms to the pavilion area, a bike trail from the railroad overpass to the sports complex, and adding additional playground equipment.

“Those are just a few ideas we are talking about,” Fogleman said. “When we finish with the two projects then as we develop some cost estimates on these we will see where our priorities

stand.”

By Mark Randall