Hobart’s Festival Park to get a facelift

• Reprints

Updated: February 13, 2012 9:57PM

HOBART — Parks Supt. John Mitchell plans to give Festival Park a facelift with about $100,000 in remaining park bond funds.

Mitchell told the Park Board at its monthly meeting Monday that the dam project, which took up a large part of the bonds, should be completed this week, with the exception of some work that will need to be done in the spring.

He said city officials plan a walk-through on Friday and will meet again the following Friday to determine what work still needs to be done.

The dam project will prevent erosion. Now, Mitchell said, he wants to work on the aesthetics of the park.

He said the fountain at the entrance to the park, which he estimates to be about 20 years old, will be replaced with a different fountain, which will be about 8-feet in diameter with a 4-foot flower garden and wrought iron fencing wrapped around it.

“Every week we’re out there trying to patch the fountain up now,” Mitchell said.

A new pier and dock, to be donated by Area Sheet Metal owner Dave Leonard, will be installed behind the former Hobart Police building. Mitchell said the dock can be used by power model boaters and model airplane enthusiasts, as well as boaters who will be able to tie their boats to the tier and walk downtown.

Mitchell said he and his foreman will paint the inside and outside of the bridge and will replace boards on it, will paint the gazebo and will replace some of the crumbling brick around the gazebo. Some electrical work also needs to be done.

He said future plans include replacing wooden benches around the city with steel ones, which skateboarders can’t skate on and, at 250 pounds, can’t be easily stolen. He said people or businesses can purchase the benches to memorialize someone. They cost $1,300 each.

In other matters, the board voted to provide a discount to military families wanting to use the Festival Park Community Center for various occasions.

Veterans, active duty and reserve members of the military will receive 25 percent off the $400 cost of the hall rental for showers and other occasions and 50 percent off the $100 cost for funeral luncheons. However, they still must pay the full cost for cleanup and security.

It will be up to those renting the hall to prove military or veteran status.

“This is the least we can do in light of the kind of times we’ve been having,” board president John Hevel said.