Archive

Much work planned for Mono’s recreation facilities

March 2, 2023   ·   0 Comments

By JAMES MATTHEWS, LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER

Mono’s Recreation Department has much in store for the municipality’s parks and trails this year.

Kim Heaton, the recreation director, told council Feb. 14 that the department will ask for $365,375 be in the town’s 2023 budget.

“What we’re looking at this year is continuing to focus on our parks,” she said. “With all of the increased usage we’ve seen over the last few years it’s become very evident this is certainly a means people are using to enjoy the outdoors.”

She said the town has to start looking at the replacement of aging and outdated infrastructure. There’s a growing recognition of the importance of green energy and climate change.

And, she said, the crowd in the Department of Recreation will focus on some of the health and safety challenges that became more evident during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Heaton said the Recreation Department in 2020 had an audit done of their parks and playgrounds. It showed which playgrounds should be replaced first.

The Purple Hill Playground was installed in 2002. That playground has exceeded its initial projected lifespan because of the municipal staff’s diligent maintenance.

“The life of a playground is normally anywhere from 12 to 15 years,” she said. “However, I do pride our maintenance department on the incredible amount of attention that they give to our playgrounds and the equipment and the surfacing.”

That playground is to be replaced in 2025 at a cost of $200,000. The department has $104,000 in reserves. And Heaton requested $32,000 in this year’s budget to go toward the reserves for replacement.

The requested budget for trail maintenance in 2023 is $12,000.

Trail use in Mono continues to be on the rise. Hiking and biking are two of the most popular means of physical activity for residents.

 Per numbers recorded from trail counters in 2012, the Monora trail system alone welcomed in excess of 36,000 visits over the year. And that was just one trail system 10 years ago.

Mono has eight trail systems and the department assumed responsibility for maintenance of the Fieldstone Trail in 2022.

 Staff also assists the Mono Nordic Ski Club with the spring/summer and fall maintenance of the trails at Monora.

Readers Comments (0)