Park Board approves new Aurora Park playground equipment

Aurora Park will see an upgrade next spring. Newton Park Board members approved a playground selection at its November board meeting Wednesday night at city hall.

Cunningham Recreation playground design Option 1 was chosen as the new equipment at the park in southeast Newton. The part modern, part traditional playground will include playground structures such as slides, swings and a high demand expression swing which would allow a parent and child to swing together.

The park will also include a new playground-style 75-foot zipline. The Sky Run zipline will come with a warranty and can hold up to 14,000 pounds. The plan meets the $50,000 budget, which includes product, surfacing, delivery and a two-day supervised installation.

“I love the zipline idea and think it will be really neat. It will be a cool, new attraction to a park that could use some excitement,” board member Amanda Price said.

Price, along with fellow board members Melanie Humphrey, Marc Jackson, Jim Klier and Adam Vandall as well as administrative park superintendent Nathan Unsworth, were in attendance. Public Works director Keith Laube and Newton City Council member Evelyn George were also at the meeting.

The board also discussed 2016 park and golf fees Wednesday night, and Unsworth proposed that the city make no fee changes to the upcoming year.

Board members reviewed a numbers analysis of usage and revenue and decided to keep 2016 golf fees the same as 2015. Compared to central Iowa courses, Westwood is competitive and affordable, however, compared to local county courses, Westwood fees remain on the higher end. The board feels its current golf fees are adequate due to the quality maintenance and difficulty of the course.

“We’ve got the best course around, and we’ve got the best greens keeper around that takes care of it, too,” Jackson said.

Maytag Pool fees will remain the same with the exception of the Maytag Park Pool Pavilion rental which will be lowered from $65 to $40 to encourage greater use of the facility.

The board will present the playground proposal to Newton City Council on Nov. 16. The new playground will be installed early spring 2016.

Parks rentals for 2016 will be available beginning Jan. 3.

In other business:

• Laube presented a cemetery fee schedule including burial lot prices in Newton compared to other Iowa cemeteries of similar size and proposed increase to the price of disinterment (moving a grave) from $1,200 to $1,500 and a $50 per hour fee for burials which take place after 3 p.m.

• Park board members discussed seeking sponsorship for the 2016 Fourth of July celebration fireworks.

• Board member Marc Jackson noted an inquiry about the addition of a basketball court in Callison Park.

• Unsworth said he had been in contact with Hometown Pride Community Coach Jeff Davidson on including a jib park into the 30-acre park plan and design.

• The Prairie Meadows Community Betterment grant is now available and the city will apply for the grant with the intent of building a boulder park at Aurora Park.

Contact Kate Malott at 641-792-3121 ext. 6533 or kmalott@newtondailynews.com