Efforts to improve the Schildberg Quarry Recreation Area in Atlantic by incorporating a campground at the site received a big boost last week. Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department Director Roger Herring announced the big news of a large contribution during Monday night’s meeting of the Park and Recreation Board. Herring said he had a visit last week from Mark Schildberg, with the Schildberg Foundation. He says a grant they had applied for was approved, to the tune of $10,000. Herring received the check last week, but waited until the Board meeting to break the news. Afterward, he presented the check for the Board members to view and hold for a few moments.

Herring said Schildberg – who is the Vice President and Director of the Foundation — was excited about the prospect of having a campground at the Recreation Area.. Another bit of good news, is that the Atlantic Rotary club provided $7,000 for the project, which Herring says includes grading for the campsite, and the beginning of work on 18 gravel pads for campers. The campground will be located at the southeast corner of the park, at the corner of North Chestnut and Iowa Avenue.

Hopes are for modern restroom and shower facilities to be included in the project, at a later date. Currently all the utilities are in place near the site, including water and electricity. Phase two, the most expensive part of the project, would include the construction of permanent restrooms and shower facilities, within the next couple of years. Herring said also exciting, is that the City of Atlantic Street Department and City Administrator Doug Harris decided it would be in the best interests of the Recreation Area to treat Iowa Avenue, which runs east of Buck Creek Road around the east side of lake, with an oil-type substance to control dust. He says pedestrians walking along the trail should notice and appreciate the fact dust stirred-up by increased traffic in the area will be a lot less noticeable.

The treatment’s ability to control dust, according to Herring gets is “rejuvenated” with each rainfall, and will not wash away. It was applied to the road last week.