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Nowthen council considers fence and court improvements, explores trail grants
Summary
Councilors discussed a $3,000‑range fence for the community basketball/pickleball court, restriping to add pickleball courts, and using park capital funds for an asphalt surface at the ice rink; separate conversation covered grant opportunities to connect local trails to the county Sugar Hill plan.
At its goal‑setting meeting, the Nowthen City Council discussed several near‑term parks improvements intended to increase year‑round use and safety of recreational assets.
Council member Brian raised the idea of a chain‑link fence around the basketball court (which is also used for pickleball) to keep balls from leaving the play area. A local, back‑of‑envelope estimate of about $3,000 was cited; staff said the project could be pursued through the city’s park improvement capital fund if the council prioritizes it.
"I think it's fairly cost effective to put a fence up there," a council member said, noting that restriping the court to create one or two pickleball courts could increase summertime and wintertime use. Members also suggested asphalting the ice‑rink base to better support a multiuse surface that would be easier to maintain in winter.
Separately, Council member Spencer and others described county trail planning (the Sugar Hill Trail) and identified grant opportunities through the state Department of Natural Resources for connector segments when local projects tie existing trail systems together. Members noted significant limiting factors: easement acquisition, right‑of‑way widths, initial construction costs (one councilor referenced earlier county estimates of roughly $1 million per mile) and ongoing maintenance responsibilities.
Council directed staff to: (1) survey actual court usage (including adding a question to the city survey), (2) prepare a cost estimate and funding recommendation for a fence and potential striping/asphalt work, and (3) explore grant eligibility for trail connections with county partners.
No binding budget action was taken at the meeting; council asked staff to return cost estimates and to add any survey items that would help demonstrate public demand.
