Park and tree board approves three park usage requests

The Red Oak Park and Tree Board heard multiple requests for park usage at its regular meeting May 11.
First, the part and tree board met with Adam Smith, representing the Red Oak Police Department, requesting usage of Fountain Square Park on Aug. 1 for National Night Out.
“Displays will start coming in about 2 p.m., and the event will run from 6 to 8 p.m. We should be cleared out of the park by 9 or 10 p.m., and then we’ll finish any clean-up needed in the morning,” Smith said.
The board approved the Red Oak Police Department request as presented.
The park and tree board then heard a request from Macy Reeves, aquatics director with the Montgomery County Family YMCA. Reeves said the YMCA was looking to host a Healthy Kids Day Event at Legion Park and the Red Oak Municipal Pool from noon to 4 p.m. June 10.
“Typically this event is in April, but we wanted to hold it in the summer instead to allow for a better turn-out. June 10 is a Saturday, and we’d like to do some of the event outdoors,” commented Reeves. One of our main goals this year is to focus on preparedness. We’re looking to have the Red Oak Fire Department come down and do a fire extinguisher presentation outside, and we want to do an outdoor kids yoga activity over by the gazebo area at Legion Park.”
Reeves was also hopeful they could do an event similar to the PTO Carnival at Inman Elementary, inviting businesses and volunteer organizations to set up a table and do activities with the kids. Other potential events at Legion Park would include a first aid presentation and a car seat safety class for parents.
Another event Reeves said they were looking to do was a coin dive at the Red Oak municipal pool.
“Basically, we would get coins from the bank and drop them in the pool. The kids would be divided by age and swim skill and collect as many coins as they can on the signal to go. It’s a good way for them to save up for the summer. It’s an event I did many years,” stated Reeves. “You’d think that a bunch of kids diving for coins would be tough to coordinate, but it was actually a quick event. No kids got out of hand with each other, and it was very organized. We would like to do it at the outdoor pool because it’s more visible to the public, and there is more coverage with lifeguard stations. We are however prepared to do it at the YMCA’s pool if necessary.”
Reeves felt the event would be fun and new. If successful, it would be tied into the Healthy Kids event every year.
Park superintendent Adam Van Der Vliet advised the board that he didn’t feel the coins in the pool would cause any drainage issues.
Chairman Bill Drey said he was in favor of the plan to use the pool, but it was dependent on the number of lifeguards available at the municipal pool for the summer season.
Reeves told the board that if there was a lifeguard shortage, the YMCA pool could be used, or lifeguards from the YMCA could be shared with the municipal pool. Reeves further stated she was looking for initial approval with the understanding that further discussions would be needed to see if the coin dive was even possible at the pool.  
The park board approved the request from Reeves, pending lifeguard availability for the municipal pool.
The final request was from Elaine Carlson, representing the Red Oak Chamber and Industry Association. Carlson was seeking use of Fountain Square Park for Junction Days June 22-25. Carlson said a few things would be changed this year, but it wouldn’t affect the park board’s decision.
“We’re proposing the beverage garden be on Reed Street in front of the Chamber office due to the new stage. We are going to utilize the stage to have live music and open the beverage garden. A cornhole tournament will also be held at the beverage garden, and it will help give people some fun events to enjoy,” Carlson commented.
Carlson said this year they will not be having the annual BBQ contest, due to the two chairs of the board taking a step back from the event.
The park board approved the Chamber’s request as presented.
 

The Red Oak Express

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P.O. Box 377
Red Oak, IA 51566
Phone: 712-623-2566 Fax: 712-623-2568

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