Officials tour Edgar parks, discuss improvements
Members of the Edgar Parks Commission toured the village’s parks on June 26, taking stock of what’s working and what’s not at each location.
There weren’t any major problems identified by the commission during the meeting, but the group discussed smaller fixes needing to be addressed as well as some wishlist items. One of the topics that came up at more than one park was vandalism. There have been issues in recent years with graffiti, the destruction of walkway bridges and, most recently, a tree being chopped down in Oak Street Park.
Officials have installed trail cameras in some areas to monitor any issues. When talking about vandalism within the Scotch Creek Woodland Preserve, Bruce Kralcik, a member of the Edgar Area Trail Supporters (EATS), described how the group usually has a few years go by in between bouts of vandalism, such as breaking boards on walkway areas. Kralcik said fortunately EATS has received enough money through raffle sales and its snowshoe race to support the repair of any broken items.
Another recent clean-up was the repainting of walls in the shelter at Minnow Ponds Park, which were graffitied last year. This year’s latest issue was the destruction of a chestnut tree in Oak Street Park on May 31. According to Jennifer Lopez, Edgar’s village administrator, there were wood shavings around the tree base, leading officials to believe someone had cut it down.
The village is working on various minor projects around the parks, according to Lopez, who highlighted several at each stop along the tour. Issues with the electrical outlets, which can kick off if there are multiple things like slow cookers plugged in during gatherings, in the shelters at Oak Street Park and Minnow Ponds Park are being addressed. The log cabin at Oak Street Park is being shingled later this summer. Accessibility improvements for disabled individuals at Edgar Softball Park are in the works. Quotes for LED lighting throughout the parks are being drafted.
As for things commissioners wanted to see improved but that are still on the wishlist, officials discussed additional parking at the softball complex as well as addressing drainage issues there. There was also talk about dredging the creek near Scotch Creek Park as the water has become less self-cleaning in recent years. Upgrading the playground equipment at Shortner Athletic Park was also discussed, as the village has funds from the Shortner Family Trust to be used for improvements there. Overall, it was clear that Edgar’s parks are heavily used, with reservable spaces within them “booked solid” for the summer, according to Lopez. Commissioners also commented on when there are fixes to be made, village employees and volunteers step up to the plate.
“What’s nice about a small community is when someone sees a project that needs to get done, everyone helps out,” Rick Mueller, chairperson for the parks commission, said.
