Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks Trail Repair topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bowie council okays $4,100 parks-trail repair; resident urges full resurfacing after injury and petition
Summary
Council approved a $4,100 parks-board-funded payment to cover temporary trail patching at Pelham Park, while a resident told the council a petition of 191 signatures seeks full resurfacing after injuries and ongoing safety concerns.
The Bowie City Council voted to accept and cover a $4,100 expenditure for temporary repairs to the walking trail at Pelham Park, funds to be drawn from the Parks Board allocation. The council recorded affirmative votes following a Parks Board presentation describing patching that is roughly 75% complete in drier sections and noting a full resurface estimate of about $20,000 for chip-seal work.
Parks maintenance representative Stoney described the interim repairs and advised against attempting a full walking-trail resurfacing this year due to street-maintenance workload; he recommended the council plan full resurfacing next year. Stoney told the council crews patched bad spots and that the temporary, lower-oil material was chosen so hot-weather softening would not transfer oil onto walkers' shoes.
During public comment, resident Kim Moore urged the council to reconsider continuing with patching and instead pursue full resurfacing. Moore described "asphalt balls" that create slipping hazards and recounted that his wife, Carol Moore, suffered an injury four months earlier and completed multiple physical-therapy sessions. Moore said a petition titled "petition for repair and resurfacing Pelham Park walking trail" had collected 191 signatures and argued the condition posed risks to walkers, including those using mobility aids.
Mayor and council acknowledged the public remarks and stated the matter will remain on the council's list of things to do; the mayor thanked Stoney for the interim repairs. The approved council action at the meeting was to accept the already-incurred $4,100 expenditure that had been paid and to cover it from parks-board funds; the Parks Board had previously earmarked $20,000 for full resurfacing.
No timeline or commitment for a full chip-seal resurfacing was announced at the meeting; resident requests and the petition were recorded in public comment. The council moved into a workshop after adjournment and did not take further public action on a full resurfacing timeline during the meeting.
Representative quotes from the meeting include Stoney describing progress: "We're probably about 75% done..." and Kim Moore warning, "When you step on an asphalt ball, you're gonna slip... I urge you to reconsider patching."
