Pryor parks crews to remove dead trees at Centennial Park; cemetery cleanup nearing completion

Park maintenance staff reported routine but urgent work at Centennial Park and ongoing cleanup at the city cemetery.

Staff told the board that crews removed a cluster of trees that unexpectedly died and that a wind event recently toppled one of those trees. They added that another large dead tree at the corner of Seventeenth and Elliot will need removal soon because it poses a risk to power lines. Staff said they plan to work on that removal the following week.

At Centennial, staff described work to address a washout by setting forms and preparing to pour a new sidewalk and channel stormwater better; the street department assisted with excavation to help divert water. After surfacing work and concrete pours, crews will remove remaining concrete and footing remnants from the older playground so the new equipment’s footings can be installed. Staff said some old playground footings remain in sand and will need excavation.

The board also heard an update on cemetery cleanup: staff said they are approaching the last phases of clearing storm-damaged areas and are scheduling stump grinding and additional stone work. Staff said they are coordinating tree removal and cleanup activities with cemetery volunteers and expect to continue cleanup progress into the coming weeks.

No formal action was taken; the report was informational and staff said they would proceed with scheduled removals and repairs.