RIVERSIDE CITY COUNCIL

Design work approved for improvements at Riverside’s Hall Park

By Paul D. Bowker
Posted 8/23/24

RIVERSIDE

Hall Park, which is host to the annual Trek Fest celebration and a number of other Riverside events, is headed for a makeover.

As the Riverside City Council sees finishing touches …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in
RIVERSIDE CITY COUNCIL

Design work approved for improvements at Riverside’s Hall Park

Posted

RIVERSIDE

Hall Park, which is host to the annual Trek Fest celebration and a number of other Riverside events, is headed for a makeover.

As the Riverside City Council sees finishing touches put on the massive Third Street sewer and water project and improvements at the Riverside Boat Ramp on the English River, talk is shifting to additions and renovations at Hall Park.

The boat ramp is located on the southern end of Hall Park, which also features baseball and softball fields, and a main stage used for Trek Fest and other entertainment events. It may soon have lighted pickleball courts and a larger outdoor basketball court.

At its regular scheduled meeting Monday, the City Council reviewed planned improvements and priorities that would be funded by capital improvement money over the coming years. Discussions about Hall Park come at a time when the City Council is partnering with Axiom Consultants, an Iowa City engineering firm, for a potential community center that would be built near Highland Elementary School.

Top priorities for Hall Park include the addition of three pickleball courts, a new basketball court and improvements to the grounds of the park near the main entertainment stage. Other plans call for an open-air shelter, a new surface in the playground area, additional parking and signage.

The pickleball courts would likely cost about $100,000, said Brian Boelk, a senior engineer with Axiom Consultants.

Mayor Allen Schneider directed Boelk to continue with designs and come up with cost estimates.

Work on the rocks placed near the boat ramp landing area is expected to be done this week.

The Council tabled payment of work done at the boat ramp until the project is closer to completion.

Kirk ADA Birthplace

Axiom is also finalizing designs on changes to the James Kirk ADA Birthplace project, which is located just south of City Hall on Greene Street.

The Council discussed those plans Monday and also at a work session last week.

The Kirk Birthplace monument, which currently faces south, will be moved west in the landing area and placed to face east instead so that it is facing Greene Street and more easily viewed from the highway. The ADA ramp, which was already installed as a part of the project, will remain where it is, but the top of the landing area will be flattened just in front of the new area where the monument will be located.

The landing area now is tilted upward, which did not meet the satisfaction of several council members.

Plans also call for blocks to be installed to create retaining walls leading to the monument.

Debbins Building

The Council approved a sale of a property on West First Street to Chief Investments LLC for $4,000.

In their proposal in June, David and Lisa Brown of Iowa City intended to use the bottom level of the Debbins Building property for a warehouse and storage, and the upper portion for commercial tenants. The proposal calls for $40,000 in improvements and repairs.

Council Action

The Council approved a $13,705 proposal from LinoH2O of Central City for the replacement of pH and conductivity probes at the water treatment plant.

The Council approved a perpetual buried cable easement agreement with Interstate Power and Light Company.

The Council accepted and approved the street financial report.

The Council tabled action on an English River Watershed project.

Next board meeting: The City Council’s next regularly scheduled meeting is at 6 p.m. Tuesday, September 3.

Riverside, City Council, Hall Park, Axiom Consultants