Party, parks and prevention

As the temperature in the Valley approached a spring-like temperature on Thursday, the Riverside Town Council focused on initial planning for summer events.

Despite Mayor Leroy Stephenson being on vacation in a much warmer clime, and the absence of new council member Katie Cheesbrough, the council had a quorum and went about its business with mayor pro-tempore Fred Lorenz at the helm.

Jan Cook, town clerk for Riverside, said she had submitted a grant for $3,000 for the town park to help defray the cost of salaries and $1,500 the expense of holding the Riverside Party Day. This year’s party day will again feature Colorado-based High Plains Tradition Bluegrass Band.

The recently-installed 9-hole disc golf course at the town park will need some tee-boxes, said council member Liz Swynarczuk. Disc golf is a game where competitors use Frisbees to hit a target with precision, and a tee box is a platform the player stands on when first throwing the disc.

Commercial tee boxes are available, Swynarczuk said, but she is consulting another person with more experience to help her understand the sport and what is needed.

Swynarczuk also priced out picnic tables for the park, saying the average price for tables is about $675 each. Council member Ed Golden suggested contacting local woodworkers and even the agriculture shop at Encampment School to see if tables could be sourced locally.

The town is not seeking bids for the tables at this time, Lorenz said, just looking to see if tables could be procured locally.

Council members also discussed other needed items for the park, like dog waste receptacles so dog owners can more easily clean up after their pets. Such receptacles cost about $300, Swynarczuk said.

The board also discussed outfitting the park with new basketball hoops which could be sourced locally. Swynarczuk said the town would also have to acquire new horseshoe sets for the park, both for adults and children.

With spring just another two-and-a-half months away, mosquito abatement planning also begins. The state agency responsible for grants for mosquito spraying will soon be accepting grant applications, but it won’t be until March until towns know what funds are available.

The next meeting of the Riverside Town Council will be held 6 p.m. March 9 at Riverside Town Hall building.