Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Board member Maria Simon (from left), Recreation Coordinator Ivan Kovacevic and Director Kristin Otley. (Peter Kuebeck | Sentinel-Tribune)
By Peter Kuebeck
The Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Board on Tuesday heard updates on a variety of parks projects and elected new officers.
Director Kristin Otley updated the board on ongoing projects at City Park, including that the installation of a sculpture near the horseshoe pit area began on Tuesday.
Otley said that the horseshoe pit area is being renovated – of the six horseshoe pits there, only one is left, and permanent corn hole boards are being installed. There are also plans for new benches, as well as tables which feature boards that can be used for chess or checkers.
Answering a question from the board about the permanent corn hole boards, Otley said that the boards have “several coatings on it so it should wear very well. … The design is pretty neat. There’s a little hole in the back so it’s easier to get your bags out.”
She said that the boards are designed to prevent animals from nesting in them.
Otley also noted that planned improvements to the disc golf course at Carter Park are somewhat underway but will begin more in earnest after the City Park project is finished.
The planned installation of a shade structure at the baseball field in City Park will take place later in the summer after the parks’ tee ball program concludes.
Recreation Coordinator Ivan Kovacevic said that the shade structure has been delivered.
Kovacevic filled the board in about a variety of programs ongoing in the parks.
“We are a couple weeks now full bore into our summer programming,” he said.
The camps have seen strong attendance, with 75 to 80% of them at maximum or just short of that mark.
“Really promising this year, I think,” Kovacevic said.
He also said that so far, the Lunch in the Park and Concert in the Park programs have had to contend with this summer’s uneven weather.
Of the three Lunches in the Park, the conditions have seen good weather, cool windy weather, and rain. Of the three Concerts in the Park, two have had to be moved into the Veterans Memorial Building due to the weather.
Kovacevic also talked about fundraising efforts for a pickle ball facility in the city.
“We’ve had some initial success with that and we have a very motivated group of people helping us out with that as well,” he said, noting that their goal is to pursue a larger grant in November.
The board also elected officers for the year. Cal Bowers was elected as chair, Phil Simmons as vice chair, and Emily Keegan as secretary. The board further welcomed new member Maria Simon, replacing member Cale Hover, who was term-limited. Otley also noted that, due to her work obligations, member Monique Rosati has resigned from the board and a new member will be appointed to fill the remainder of her term.
