Harlan Kirgan
The popular Circle Park is about to get new playground equipment and other improvements, Mayor Scott Fontenot said.
The Board of Aldermen gave the mayor the green light to gather bids for the Circle Park equipment along with splash pads at their November meeting.
Fontenot expects the Circle Park equipment is going to cost about $50,000.
“We plan on putting one big piece of equipment,” he said.
“We get can get a big one that can serve all the ages — anywhere from 4 on up to 12....” he said.
The equipment will be similar to the a playground unit that was installed recently near the Southeast Community Center, he said.
The playground equipment at Circle Park is about 20 years old, he said.
Fontenot said the metal connections were rusting and plastics were becoming brittle.
“It just became an issue where it was a liability and we had no other choice but to get rid of them,” he said.
“That probably is the most used park area in town,” he said.
The funding for the playground comes from the sale of North Park to St. Edmund. That brought in $60,000 and some of that money has been used to improve Harris Park, he said.
Fontenot said Circle Park’s improvements may be completed after the first of the year depending on the weather.
“I think it is going to be something we can be proud of,” he said.
There may be other improvements to the park such as fountains and lighting.
The splash pads have been discussed since Mayor Rusty Moody was in office, he said.
“Those things can run anywhere from $60,000 to $300,000,” he said. “It is all dependent on what you want to do.”
Fontenot said Cleco paid the city about $500,000 when aldermen approved a 30-year contract renewal.
“I don’t see a better way other than to invest it into something for our youth because they are going to be the ones here for the next 30 years. That’s what the contract is, so I figured give something to them and hopefully it is something that their kids can enjoy too.”
Fontenot said a splash pad installed recently at New Roads for about $140,000 can accommodate 50 to 70 people.
“I would really like to do two of them,” he said.
Possible locations for the splash pads would be the former Amy swimming pool and Fairground area, he said.
The hope is to have a splash pad in place when school lets out next year, he said.
Additional water for city use is included in a new Lawco contract, he said.
Another plus for a splash pad is the city’s liability is reduced compared to a swimming pool, he said.