The local Fleurette Garden Club has a plan, and it won’t be long until residents and visitors will see the results. Judy and Terry Lunz, representing the club, told the Bellefontaine Joint Recreation District’s board of trustees what they have in mind at the board’s meeting Tuesday, May 6.
Judy spoke first, stating they have decided to make Fred Carter Park their latest community service project.
Starting at 9 a.m. today, Thursday, May 8, they will create a 40×15 foot island of adaptive native plantings on the northeast part of the park. Terry, who’s retired, has dedicated hours to clearing and preparing the area for the plants.
This work will add to the improvements done at the park by a team from Vineyard Christian Fellowship in July 2024. The club intends to include a sign that states: Native Garden sponsored by Fleurette’s Garden.
“What we have now is a park that is used for the right reasons,” Terry said. “The rough edges are being smoothed off.”
He then offered individual tours to any member who wants one.
On a related note, Terry told the board he met a man from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources last summer who was studying the park for a specific purpose: a plant growing in Fred Carter Park that can only be found in one other Ohio location, an old quarry in Urbana.
Kris Myers, parks superintendent, pointed out how the pond at Fred Carter “is a really unique habitat. Our elevation pulls in northern species, but we’re south enough to pull in southern ones,” he explained.
In other news, Myers updated the board on the Hoffman Pool’s 2025 season, which is coming up fast. He said they have many people returning and have added eight or nine new lifeguards. Staff orientation will take place on May 22 with the pool opening for the season on Saturday, May 24.
The rusted supports for the pool slide have been rebuilt as well. But even with all that, the department is looking past this summer’s swim season.
“We’re starting to have a conversation about planning for the new pool,” Myers stated.
They hope to get moving on a design contract by late summer, then “have the project bid out in early 2026, begin construction that August, and have it ready for pool season in 2027.”
In response to board questions, Myers said they hope to keep the pool in the same location, at the corner of east Williams Avenue and Allison Road. Reasons he listed included its accessibility from many areas of town and the fact that it’s a good location for people coming by foot or on bicycle. One consideration, though, will be parking.
He also said they would like to keep the name, Hoffman Pool, but would be open to adding to it if an individual or company wanted to partner with the parks department financially.
In other board news:
• With spring sports underway and swim lesson registrations filling up at the pool, the department’s programs are going strong. In addition, according to Myers, this is the second year for their adaptive fishing program, which included a free pole for the first 25 kids who registered by April 30.
Through the Logan County Board of Developmental Disabilities, this adaptive hike and learn-to-fish event will take place on Saturday, May 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Myeerah Nature Preserve.
ª Myers let the board know about an outdoor nature program at Rutan park shelters 1 and 2 on Sunday, June 1, at 3 p.m. Volunteers Karen Kennedy and Joy Wish with Ohio Nature Education will present an interactive lesson on nocturnal animals.
• Regarding maintenance, the department was able to get a lot done last week before the rain hit Saturday morning. They have seasonal maintenance staff coming in, which is needed since they’re “cutting grass like crazy,” according to Myers. This includes the “ball crew”—a group of young people who help maintain the athletic fields—and seasonal mowers.
Still, Myers added, “They’re doing more than just mowing.”
• Two useless houses at Myeerah that have been uninhabited for over a decade will be moved next week. And, that same week, they plan to kick off the new educational program with Journey Nature School.
• Three other main-focus projects continue to move forward: Harmon Park, Oakland Square and remodeled restrooms at Lewis Ratleff Park.
Though they have a rough conceptual plan for Harmon, Myers said they’re not ready to share that publicly yet. But they are looking to include a smaller, multi-purpose t-ball field.
As for the restrooms, they have installed new partition block walls and the painters have been on-site. They expect to have that work done in the next couple of weeks.
A community meeting regarding Oakland Square went well. However, the feedback came primarily from adults.
“We wanted input from kids,” Myers said. “So we met with seven children who go to the intermediate school and live near the park, and they picked out the design.”
• The eight pickleball courts at Mary Rutan Park are also moving forward. They hope to have those ready in the near future.
In new business, Myers requested they update their pay scale to make sure it lines up with city positions. He believes their staff should be compensated at a similar rate.
The next BJRD board of trustees meeting is 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 3.
