The Olpe Fitness Park Project is set to break ground in the very near future following action on a pair of items by USD 252 Southern Lyon County Board of Education members Monday night.
As part of a special meeting agenda, board members first approved a motion to accept a better than $1.89 million dollar donation from the Olpe Fitness Park Committee for the lion’ share of the first phase of the project’s construction. In separate, but related action, board members approved a bid from ATG Sport of just over $2.5 million to handle the phase one construction.
The majority of that cost will be covered by the aforementioned donation from the fitness park committee with the remaining $600,000 to be covered by an allocation from the district that was previously approved. Any remaining donated funds from the work will be returned to the Olpe Fitness Park Committee. Both items were approved by a vote of 4-0 with two abstensions.
Board members Ryan Gasche, Brad Hoelting, Timothy Bailey and Charles Steffes voted in favor of both motions with Melissa Carlson and Gene Windle both abstaining and President Emily Darbyshire absent. When asked for comment on their decisions, Carlson and Windle both declined an interview with KVOE News.
This is not the first matter to not reach a consensus in relation to the Olpe project, as the board voted in August to allocate $600,000 in Capital Outlay funds by a vote of 4-3. Tyler Schmidt of the Olpe Fitness Park Committee says the result was not surprising, noting there has been a signficant amount of division on the matter in recent years.
Superintendent Ryan Muhlig, also acknowledged this during an interview with KVOE News, saying it is unfortunate, however, the project will have an impact on the students of the district, which is his chief concern.
Schmidt also stated the notable division has been a concern, however, he is very pleased to see the project making the progress it has calling it his generation’s chance to make an impact on generations to come.
Phase one of the project is set to break ground within the next two weeks according to ATG representatives and will include the addition of a new football stadium, field, track, bleachers, a press box and fencing. Construction will start with the field and track with the additional components to follow.
Phase one is tentatively set to be complete by next August, however, an exact completion date has yet to be determined.
The money donated Monday was the result of fundraising over the past several years by the committee which has also already begun fundraising for phase two of the project which will include a fitness trail, mutlipurpose building and splash pad. With that in mind, the committee has announced the date for its annual Green Machine Gala, which has played a large role in fundraising the past two years.
The 2026 event will take place on Valentine’s Day at the Olpe Knights of Columbus Hall. The USD 252 Board of Education will next convene on Wednesday, November 12.
