There’s a notable improvement project underway at Hartford City Park.
Playground equipment is getting upgraded and replaced, according to project spokesperson Yvonne Gardner. She says this is a project several years in the making.
Mulching and park safety barriers were paid for by the city and private donors, while grants and local fundraising has paid for playground structures like equipment for young children, paid for through a $20,000 donation by the Methodist Church and a zipline, courtesy of funding through the Emporia Community Foundation. The goal is to have the park improvements ready for use by Hartford Harvest Day on Sept 26.
Part of the grand master plan is to add a splash pad.
Gardner says The Jones Trust granted $60,000 for much of the splash pad features. The city will handle the electric, waterline installation and trenching costs. Fundraising continues to help offset city costs.
There are other plans for the park as well.
Separately and better than 6 weeks after Hartford City Hall was damaged by a windstorm, the initial schedule for demolition has now been announced.
The City of Hartford says Leiser Excavating will begin the process next week if everything goes according to plan.
Ahead of that, the city has moved its barricades out away from the building. Leiser will add its own barricades before demolition starts.
City Hall and Hartford’s Small Community Building were both impacted by a severe thunderstorm the morning of July 4, with part of the roof peeled off and other structural damage noted. Several area residents have urged the city to save the building, but Mayor Kenny Hamman and the City Council have said it is not cost-efficient to replace the building that was constructed in the early 1880s.
A replacement plan has not been finalized. Current city operations are housed in a mobile unit outside the city’s new Community Center until further notice. Meanwhile, Hartford Junior/Senior High School is adjusting its operations next week. Starting Monday, the south side of the school will be closed. Buses will drop off and pick up students on the east side of the building, which is also where parent drop-off and pickup will be. Students are told to use the east parking lot near the greenhouse and garage for their vehicles.
Mayor Kenny Hamman will have an update on KVOE’s Newsmaker segment at 7:20 am Monday.
