BY VIRGINIA NIZAMOFF SURSO, Times-Union Correspondent

SYRACUSE - The Syracuse Park Board will ask the Syracuse Town Council to approve a $500,000 bond to help finance the $1.5 million community center, it was decided Monday.

The bond will not increase taxes and will be paid back at $42,000 per year, according to Mike Hixenbaugh, parks superintendent.

The town has a cumulative capital development fund, which was previously used to pay off the debt of building the town hall. The new bond will simply replace the recently paid-off debt, according to Hixenbaugh.

However, this amount will not cover all the costs of the community center. Paved parking lots would be one of those items not covered, according to Bill Wight, park board president.

Hixenbaugh has raised $1.1 million and hopes for an affirmative response from Dekko Foundation by May.

When the board reviewed the alternatives to the base bids for the community center with architect Steve Alexander of Indianapolis, the gym floor was a major topic of discussion. A wooden floor will cost about $60,000 more than vinyl tile. The board hopes to be able to afford a rubber floor, also more costly than vinyl, but less costly than wood with the same resiliency.

"Generally, there are bitter debates on flooring," Alexander said, "but the hard reality is that decisions are determined by cost."

Alexander also explained that when the alternatives were added and subtracted to base bids, some apparent low bidders were not, in fact, as low as they appeared. The board accepted the alternatives as recommended with the exception of the flooring, which will depend on funding.

Alexander urged the board to notify the contractors that they have the work without actually awarding the contract. Hixenbaugh cautioned that the financial consultant has said that no contracts can be awarded until all the money is in hand.

The board also voted to spend about $3,400 to landscape Hoys Beach, which has 50-foot of lakefront and is about 200 feet deep. Heather Harwood designed the plan to include trees, bushes and ground cover. The board delayed decision on lighting and a water hydrant for the beach until next month. Eventually there will be a sidewalk.

A+ Yard Services, Inc. of Claypool was awarded the mowing contract for this summer, and TruGreen/Chemlawn has the successful bid for weed control and fertilizing.

Upkeep in the parks includes removing dead or diseased trees and branches. This work will begin soon. The trees in front of town hall already have been removed by NIPSCO in preparation for the planting of new ones on April 27 to commemorate Arbor Day. Activities will begin in Lakeside Park and end at town hall.

Summer activities in the parks include partnering with other groups to offer more activities. Trips with Venture Scouts will be offered to 14- to 20year-olds, and it is hoped that skiing, boating safety, canoeing and sailing classes also can be offered with the help of other Syracuse groups. There will be an art program for both children and adults.

The Scout Cabin should open by May 1 to the general public if minor repairs and cleaning go on schedule. Venture Scout Troop 2828 is set to clean the cabin.

Hixenbaugh announced that the annual Easter Egg Hunt would be held from 10 to noon Saturday at Lakeside Park. [[In-content Ad]]