Young kids in Waterville will have a new playground to use by fall.
Waterville Village Board members agreed last week at their meeting to buy two playground stations and a stationary train for pre-school children to use at the village park. Some of the playground items in the park now will also be upgraded, or taken out.
The new equipment will feature climbing walls, sliding tubes and slides and bridges. The train comes in several pieces for kids to play on.
Cost for everything is $69,000. Mayor Gene Ostrander said previous work at the park had been paid for by the Edward Barton Trust Fund and a state grant obtained by former Assemblyman Bill Magee. “This is the first money the village has put into the park,’’ he said.
The new playground will be set up near the pavilion.
After checking with the village’s insurance provider, no rules will be established at the village reservoir site on Upper White Street. Ostrander said any rules put in place open the village up to liability.
“We were advised to leave it as is,’’ he said. “We can’t set any rules for use. Once you start to designate it opens to liability.’’
People who use the land for mountain biking, hiking and hunting will need to use common sense for their own use and sharing with other users, he said.
Also during the 75-minute meeting, Ostrander brought up the recent achievement of Waterville High School senior Gabe Williams winning the state Federation golf tournament. “It’s quite an accomplishment going up against kids from all over the state and winning,’’ he said.
In other matters, approval was given was street work this summer on White Street, Barton Avenue and Benedict Hill. DPW Superintendent Jamie Bechy said the cost is $177,653 but with CHIPs funding it will cost the village $52,000.
The White Street reconstruction will include eliminating the flat spots in the road to create better water drainage.
Work on rerouting Big Creek behind Sanger Avenue will start as soon as the equipment arrives, Bechy said.
The state and Schoolhouse Apartments owners Housing Management Resources remain at an impasse…