Syracuse Park Board Hears Report On Community Center

July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.

By VIRGINIA NIZAMOFF SURSO, Times-Union Correspondent-

SYRACUSE - The Syracuse Park and Recreation Board heard good news and not-so-good news Monday.

The good news is that the community center project is about half done and the money is about half spent.

"That puts us right on target," Syracuse Parks and Recreation Superintendent Michael Hixenbaugh reported.

He said the glazing on the glass for the windows is holding up heating and drywall, but is expected to be ready for Dec.18 installation. If not, they will go with another company.

The board also heard that the park truck sold for $1,400 at auction.

The not-so-good news is that the wiring in all of the parks is inadequate to handle even a few holiday decorations. Electricity at Crosson Mill Park has been fixed enough to work. There is not enough power at Ward Park to light the spruce tree. Since all the electricity at Lakeside Park is on one circuit, plans are being made to dig a trench to add a new line to the pole.

The board instructed Hixenbaugh to look into the cost of buying a snowplow and to plan a meeting for early February to discuss the department's master plan and how it affects next year's budget. The meeting will be open to the public to get additional input.

"We need to discuss long-range thinking and planning and determine what we need to look forward to, whether it is electrical, playgrounds or new park land," president Bill Wight told the group.

In other business, Hixenbaugh said he has been chosen as a board member of the Indiana Parks and Recreation Association.

"It will take me away from Syracuse more than I have been, but the parks will be more than compensated by the value we gain from partnering with other groups," Hixenbaugh said. [[In-content Ad]]

SYRACUSE - The Syracuse Park and Recreation Board heard good news and not-so-good news Monday.

The good news is that the community center project is about half done and the money is about half spent.

"That puts us right on target," Syracuse Parks and Recreation Superintendent Michael Hixenbaugh reported.

He said the glazing on the glass for the windows is holding up heating and drywall, but is expected to be ready for Dec.18 installation. If not, they will go with another company.

The board also heard that the park truck sold for $1,400 at auction.

The not-so-good news is that the wiring in all of the parks is inadequate to handle even a few holiday decorations. Electricity at Crosson Mill Park has been fixed enough to work. There is not enough power at Ward Park to light the spruce tree. Since all the electricity at Lakeside Park is on one circuit, plans are being made to dig a trench to add a new line to the pole.

The board instructed Hixenbaugh to look into the cost of buying a snowplow and to plan a meeting for early February to discuss the department's master plan and how it affects next year's budget. The meeting will be open to the public to get additional input.

"We need to discuss long-range thinking and planning and determine what we need to look forward to, whether it is electrical, playgrounds or new park land," president Bill Wight told the group.

In other business, Hixenbaugh said he has been chosen as a board member of the Indiana Parks and Recreation Association.

"It will take me away from Syracuse more than I have been, but the parks will be more than compensated by the value we gain from partnering with other groups," Hixenbaugh said. [[In-content Ad]]

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