Three out of the five members of the Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department’s Board of Directors were present Monday evening for their monthly meeting. During the session, Parks & Rec Director Seth Staashelm said the pieces of the west playground for the Schildberg Recreation Area have arrived, and are being kept in storage until they can be installed next Spring.

The west restroom at Schildberg has been ordered and will arrive in mid-December. Staashelm said a four-foot hole for a vault restroom vault (tank) will be dug within the next couple of weeks, and the 17-by 8-foot blue metal roof building will be lowered over the pit on the level surface. There is no concrete pad.

In other business, Staashelm proposed, and the Board approved, a staggered four-year term for Parks Board members, who currently serve a six-year term. A recommendation for the proposed change will be submitted to the full City Council for their approval. Staashelm said in his opinion, the six-year term is too long, because members tend to lose interest and become out of touch with what’s needed or desired. He said also, by rotating the terms, more citizens might be encouraged to serve, and it would hopefully keep board members more engaged. Board Chair Stuart Dusenberry agreed. He said many boards are on a two-or three-year term, and a six-year term is a lot of commit to.

Staashelm also reported to the Board the Sunnyside Park Ice Rink liner will be installed the first week of December, but it won’t be open until sometime around Christmas, because of the fluctuating weather patterns. A second cold snap is needed for the surface to freeze. Once it’s open, the hours will be posted at the site and on the Parks’ Facebook page.

He said also, the Schildberg Campground is slated to close Nov. 26th, and the City’s parks restrooms are closed for the season, but the parks remain open for winter activities. The streets to Sunnyside Park are still open he said, but there will be a time soon, when they will have to be closed. That doesn’t mean you can’t use the park, it’s just that vehicle traffic won’t be allowed for safety reasons.