Weirton Council, Park Board talk recreation
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WEIRTON -- Weirton officials sat down Thursday evening with a focus on opening up communications and planning for the future of recreation in the city.
A work session was held in the council chambers of the Weirton Municipal Building, with members of city council and the Weirton Board of Parks and Recreation discussing potential projects to improve aspects of the community's parks, playgrounds and other recreational offerings.
"We have several projects, and we're kind of at a standstill on some of them," Park Board Chair Edwin J. Bowman said, noting what he said was a lack of response from the city administration to previous requests for discussion and support.
Among those were a letter from June 2021 asking for $10,000 to assist with the paving of the Panhandle Rail Trail, a project for which the Park Board has accrued approximately $135,000 through grants and contributions from other governmental entities, as well as setting aside some of its own money.
Bowman also pointed to a letter from August 2021 concerning meeting over Marland Heights Park and a request in January on whether the city would co-sign on a loan to assist with renovations at the park.
Starvaggi Memorial Pool, parks officials reminded, has well past its useful life, losing 5,000 gallons of water per day, with the replacement of the liner being an estimated $1 million project.
The future of the Edwin J. Bowman Field also was raised, with parks officials reminding council there was a $122,000 grant awarded for upgrades to the field, but work is on hold while council continues discussing whether to use the property for a proposed public safety facility.
"It's the unknown that I think is our biggest concern," Bowman said, also drawing a contrast between the financial resources of city council and the park board, which he said has a $1.2 million annual budget. "We want to know what you're all thinking."
Ward 3 Councilman Fred Marsh, though, cautioned against assuming the use of some of those funds, explaining Finance Director Diana Smoljanovich would need to check with the state to see if any could apply to recreation projects.
"There have been certain things we thought wouldn't be a problem, but it was with the auditor," Marsh said.
Mayor Harold Miller, while agreeing recreation is among the top assets of a community, also warned against quickly going to the American Rescue Plan Act funds, from which the city has received approximately $10.5 million.
"We have to be careful of how we spend it because it will go away in a hurry," Miller said, referring to the possibility of the federal funds being taken back if spent improperly.
Miller noted his administration has been focusing on economic development in recent years.
Ward 5 Councilwoman Flora Perrone turned to Park Board members Deb Witkowski and Iris Himmelrick, both of whom reside on Marland Heights, and asked their thoughts on the needs of the Marland Heights Park.
Both agreed there is a need to tear down the Margaret Manson Weir Memorial Pool to make room for new opportunity.
"It's so far removed from what it used to be," Witkowski, who is wrapping up her time on the Park Board after 18 years, said. "It's coming down on its own anyway."
Himmelrick added there is a general need to clean up aspects of the park to make it more enjoyable for residents.
"I still have a hard time saying the building needs to come down, but it does," she said.
City Manager Mike Adams, who previously served on the Park Board, said his hope from the workshop was to reopen a dialogue between the two bodies, so they could move forward together for the benefit of Weirton.
"Recreation has to be one of our stars," Adams said, explaining he recently met with a business prospect who asked about available activities for the youth.
Marsh recommended the groups begin to schedule quarterly meetings, while the Park Board handed out a questionnaire to gauge the interests and priorities on council on the city's park system.