<\/p>\n
The Dolores Town board approved up to $300,000 in funding for new playground equipment at Joe Rowell Park.<\/p>\n
After a bid process to choose a playground builder, construction is expected to begin in spring 2020. The new equipment will be installed by a contractor at the previous 9,500 square-foot playground site, which was dismantled in 2018 for structural concerns.<\/p>\n
The board agreed to fund a \u201cfull build\u201d on the former footprint that is lighted and is adjacent to the park bathrooms.<\/p>\n
A community survey showed support for rebuilding to the larger scale of the previous popular playground, officials said during Monday\u2019s board meeting.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is what the community has been working hard for and is expecting. We want to follow through on that,\u201d said board member James Biard.<\/p>\n
The town plans to apply for a Great Outdoors Colorado grant this fall to help offset some of the costs of the new playground equipment.<\/p>\n
The board also agreed to apply for a $80,000 grant for playground equipment from KaBOOM!, an organization that partners with the Colorado Health Foundation and other groups to promote youth exercise and play.<\/p>\n
It selected for the grant, community volunteers, including children, would be involved in planning, choosing equipment, and building the structure under the guidance of professionals.<\/p>\n
The KaBOOM program equipment would be installed on a 2,500-square-foot portion of the Joe Rowell site, with the full-build project funded by the town filling out the remaining 7,000 square feet.<\/p>\n
Playground contractors say they work together often with other vendors on playground project locations, said town manager Jay Ruybalid.<\/p>\n
At first the board hesitated in agreeing to the KaBOOM! grant application, voting it down 4-3. Dissenting board members expressed concern that it would not be the larger playground the community is expecting.<\/p>\n
But when new motion was made authorizing the expenditure for a full build-out up to $300,000, in addition to applying for the KaBOOM grant, the motion passed unanimously to applause in the audience.<\/p>\n
In other news:<\/p>\n
Efforts are ongoing to improve the baseball fields and overall park turf at Joe Rowell Park. Sixty tons of dirt was brought in to reduce a lip between the infield and the outfield on one field, and another 60 tons may be needed.<\/em>To improve the grass turf at Joe Rowell, the town is considering pulling water from a different source other than the Dolores River to reduce filter clogging and improve sprinkler system coverage.<\/em>The Dolores Chamber of Commerce said it would like to start a discussion with the Galloping Goose Society and Museum to potentially combine the Dolores Visitor Center with the museum.<\/em>The town board authorized the hiring of Patricia Gibson as the new town treasurer. Gibson has a professional background in government finance.<\/em><\/p>\n