Anderson's parks director touts amenities

Several Anderson residents met Friday evening to hear City of Anderson Parks and Recreation Director Ken Hartman discuss the state of Anderson's park system.

"I'd put our parks availability up against any city our size," Hartman said, touting the 430-acre Anderson River Park and 33 acres in the Volonte Park area.

The parks department is budgeted approximately $590,000 of the city's general fund, Hartman said. Approximately $400,000 of that amount goes to staff salaries, including Hartman's pay, maintenance crews, and summer program instructors. The supplemental $190,000 is spent on equipment, repairs, vehicle maintenance and other items.

While reviewing the park department's streams of revenue and expenses, Hartman also heard the concerns of those present. While neither last month's park meeting nor Friday's meeting were attended by more than 30 people combined, the most pressing concern mentioned by members of the public involved public facilities at Anderson River Park.

"The bathrooms at Anderson River Park are a concern," Angie Sannebeck said.

"They need to be modernized," Ken Kraft added.

After hearing questions about the city's dilligence in cleaning up its parks, Hartman said that city employees spend approximately 20 hours in a week during spring and summer just picking up trash.

"I think everyone in the city should spend a week with park employees," Hartman said, referring to vandalism in the bathrooms and beyond. "People would be appalled."

Hartman added that dog poop is a major problem at the river park. Although some suggested plastic bag dispensers on the trails, Hartman said such dispensers would be destroyed or set on fire.

"You end up having to spend more money on a means to protect the amenity," Hartman said, adding that the bags for dog owners to pick up after their pets are cheap enough at local retail outlets.

Some ideas that Hartman said the parks department is looking into includes a raft takeout on in the river park, shade structures at the skatepark, repaving/resurfacing of the tennis courts, paving the parking lot at the skatepark, and a washout at the levy in the river park.

At the next Anderson Parks Committee meeting, the group would vote on two proposals to concentrate on to improve the park system. That meeting was scheduled for March 26, at 6 p.m. at Anderson City Hall, 1887 Howard St.