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Cole County moves to repair park trail, plans playground and restroom design work for grant applications
Summary
Commissioners approved a $4,590 seal‑coat for the County Park lake trail and discussed replacing a playground and adding a restroom, work that staff said will likely be pursued with Land and Water Conservation Fund grants and other programs.
Cole County commissioners on April 8 approved a $4,590 contract to seal-coat the asphalt trail at County Park and discussed longer-term plans for playground replacement and a new restroom near the pavilion.
Parks staff told the commission the asphalt trail has last been sealed about a decade ago and the original pavement is roughly 25–30 years old in places. The commission approved a proposal from a local contractor, Precision Seal Coating Services, to crack-fill and seal the trail to extend its service life and defer a more costly overlay.
In a broader parks briefing, staff described multiple projects that intersect with a city sewer upgrade near Fainton Park and County Park. The county’s engineering plan calls for replacing an aging storm-drain pipe that runs beneath playground areas and the pavilion; staff said the road and bridge department will handle the underground pipe work and the parks department will absorb pavilion repairs in maintenance budgets.
Parks committee members and staff also discussed replacing the County Park playground — currently dated, with bark mulch surfacing and limited ADA access — and siting a new restroom closer to the pavilion and parking area. Staff said the County will likely pursue federal Land and Water Conservation Fund grants (matching at 50%) or recreational trails and transportation alternative (TAP) funding for a larger construction project; grant deadlines and ranking criteria mean the county should do design work in advance. Parks staff estimated basic playground design work could be in the low tens of thousands of dollars and said prefabricated restroom units are available and could be paired with the grant application.
Committee members also discussed launching a parks foundation to solicit donations and run targeted fundraisers to augment grant funding. Staff noted the administrative steps to form a foundation — legal paperwork, IRS recognition and modest filing fees — and said some pro-bono legal assistance is possible for formation work.
The commission approved the seal-coat contract by motion and sign-off; staff will draw funds from the county’s capital improvements sales tax allocation or maintenance lines as appropriate.
