City readies for park season
RANDOLPH – It’s “all hands on deck” to ready Randolph’s park and pool for the summer season.
Because ready or not, here comes summer.
Most of the work over the past week has been down in a hole, trying to fix a water main break at the city’s aging swimming pool.
“The plumbing on the whole pool, it’s been bad for quite a few years,” said John Dickes, Public Works supervisor. “It’s kind of hard because everything is ancient.”
The water main break forced an early closure to the pool last summer in the last week it was planned to be open, he said. The parts needed for repair were difficult to find for the 54-year-old pool, Dickes said.
But Monday morning, Dickes reported the repair was holding and the pool was filling for the season.
The city has been raising money for nearly three years for a new aquatic center with a little more than $100,000 raised.
The Randolph Elementary Student Council recently served ice cream floats after its spring concert and raised $658 for the cause.
“The whole reason for the aquatic center fundraising is to have that money go toward actual plumbing,” Dickes said.
Next, the city will reach out to statewide foundations to solicit support for the project. Once the project hits $400,000, state and federal grants can be sought to reach the total fundraising goal of $1.2 million.
The proposed aquatic center will include a climbing wall, splash pad, figure-eight slide and zero-entry among other features.
While the city waits for money to flow into a new aquatic center, Dickes remains optimistic the current pool will be open the week following Memorial Day.
“We have the pool cleaned out, power washed. Once we get the water on, we can start getting everything inside the pool ready,” Dickes said. “After that, we’ll get the lifeguards in and get things ready.” The city has hired more lifeguards and pool workers than in past years and the season should run smoothly under management by Jenny Dickes, said Interim City Administrator Josh Rayford.
Season pool passes will be sold at the city prior to the pool’s opening and then at the pool.
Kristina Swantek will be teaching about 100 children in a variety of swimming lessons offered at the pool.
Next, city crews will install new park benches at the playground structure north of the baseball fields.
The city’s seasonal employees have been busy keeping the park and city property mowed. With the abundance of rain this spring and ample sunshine, there’s always grass to cut, Dickes said.
The park saw its first influx of visitors as the baseball season got underway with the first home game Thursday, with the 12U team playing Wausa.
On Monday night, Plainview baseball teams came to compete.
Nearly 150 boys and girls have signed up to participate in this year’s Randolph Summer Youth baseball and softball programs. Teams range in age and experience from the youngest players at 3 years old to the oldest players at 16.
An adult men’s softball league also utilizes the city’s fields.
The Randolph Community Golf Course Board and staff are teeing up for its busy season, too.
“At the first of June, it’s game on,” said Mike Strathman, vice president of the board. “And it’ll go quick, too.”
Golf leagues keep the nine-hole, 60-acre course active during the week and a dozen weekend tournaments have been scheduled through August.
See Page 3 for the latest donation to the city’s aquatic center.
The clubhouse is now open for noon meals as well, under the management of Michaela Casey.
“The noon meal crowd is back and we’ve got really good employees this year,” Strathman said.
Some planned improvements at the Randolph Community Golf Course were put on hold due to the Middle Logan Creek Floodplain Project. Randolph’s Golf Board planned to place new tee boxes at holes 7 and 9 last fall but need access to land close to the creek.
Work was completed on draining, dredging and putting a clay liner on one of the ponds on the course.