Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department Director Seth Staashelm said Monday evening, that work on various projects have, as you might expect, been delayed by the weather. With regard to the Schildberg Recreation Area (SRA) west shelter, Staashelm said a pre-construction meeting with Precision Concrete Services will be held next month, with construction slated to begin around May 12th, weather permitting. Inspection should be completed by June 28th, with opening soon thereafter.

Staashelm said the City of Atlantic Street Department started the site work for the East playground at the SRA. Once that’s done, landscape fabric will be applied, as well as perforated pipes for drainage. Sidewalk work will follow. Seth said also, donations have started to arrive for memorial or dedicated sponsor benches. Those are being ordered.

On May 18th and 19th, construction will begin on the playground equipment. Several groups have stepped forward to help out on the 19th, to assemble the equipment. There will be hot dogs available for volunteers, who will begin work at around 8-a.m. and stay until it’s finished that same day. Tools will be made available, but you’re welcome to bring your own. Gloves are also necessary.

Staashelm said site work on the Lake #3 Trail at Schildbergs will begin as soon as weather permits. As for the Community Parks Projects, there was a meeting between Staashelm and ISU Extension representatives with regard to the layout and what needs to be planted at Mollett and Cedar Parks. With regard to the Sunnyside Park Entrance Sign, Staashelm said the old entrance pillars will be demolished and new footings established.

Once the supports are in-place, decorative pillars and rock landscaping will be accomplished, with the assistance of the Girl Scouts. Seth says when all is said and done, “It’s going to be quite a statement coming in off 10th Street into Sunnyside Park.” Weather has delayed the project, but it’s hoped things can get underway in May.

Earth Day was moved from this Saturday to April 28th, due to a conflict with the 100th Anniversary of ISU Extension. If there is rain or snow on that date, the event will be cancelled. Earth Day at the Schildberg Rec Area involves volunteers cleaning-up the park from 11-a.m. until 2. Hot dogs and chips will be made available. Volunteers should meet at the west end of the park.

Love Atlantic, according to Staashelm, will be held May 5th and 19th. The event is an initiative of community members who will be working May 5th on sprucing up the 7th Street Corridor through downtown Atlantic, and on May 19th groups will be working on parks projects at Schildberg and Cedar Park, the latter of which includes maintenance work and removing the old teeter-totter. Also, a High School Service Learning Day takes place April 25th, where students will be working a couple of hours on parks projects, pickup up debris, cleaning the pool and putting down mulch in the City Park, among other projects.

And, finally, Seth Staashelm said the campground at the SRA is “still pretty full,” with employees of the ethanol plant and others. People are anxious to fill vacancies as quickly as they are made available. Seth said the campground has generated $48,000 in revenue as of the end of March, with $56,000 expected by the end of April. Expenses, such as more water and electricity, but the revenue has outpaced the expenses, and Staashelm said some of those campsites will be occupied until June. Better signage is expected to be in place within the next couple of weeks.