Council approves new playground equipment

Moorcroft Town Council has approved $41,996 for the purchase of a new slide set for Noonan Park and something similar for the gym set at Westview Park for Robinson.

The funds will be taken from the budget line item for “Parks and Recreation”, which holds $8000, and the remainder from the sixth cent tax money allotted for such improvements. According to Public Works Director Cory Allison, the chosen play sets were purchased last week for $36,681 and are expected to arrive within the next few weeks.

Public Works will be assembling and installing the play sets with assistance volunteered by Glenn Construction if needed. At Noonan Park, the old metal slide and the climbing/treehouse structure at Robinsons will be replaced.

Allison admits it may take awhile to set everything up when the components arrive: “It’s just going to take a little longer than if we had a crew come in and build them.”

The town has recognized the need to replace park equipment for some time, but the venture was, as is the case for many smaller communities, cost prohibitive. However, after ascertaining how some surrounding towns are successfully giving their play parks much-needed face lifts by doing the labor themselves, the body agreed that this is the time to take the initiative and uplift the faces of Moorcroft’s town parks as well.

A new slide is not the only upgrade in store for Noonan Park, though; the council has asked Jeff Holberg for possible schematics and other details for laying new sewer and water lines to a new ADA accessible bathroom, which will also be funded from the sixth cent tax allotment.

This allotment is the result of the sixth cent taxation again being requested on the ballot in November, according to Mayor Dick Claar.