Some of the renovations at Legion and Lions parks are nearing completion, Eureka Parks and Recreation Director Kristin Christenson said.
The parks are across the street from each other on Bald Hill Road with Legion Park at 333 Bald Hill Road and Lions Park at 340 Bald Hill Road in the southeast section of the city near Hwy. 109 and Old Town.
The renovation projects began in mid-January, Christenson said.
“At Legion Park, the baseball fields are nearing completion with games scheduled to begin very soon,” she said. “Although some work is still pending, the fields will be playable.”
Mayor Sean Flower said the shade structure behind the backstop at Legion Park went up last week and crews have started to grade the turf fields.
Christenson said the new pavilion at Legion Park also has been built.
“The pavilion at Legion has gone up as well,” she said. “It’s great. It looks so good.”
At Lions Park, the focus has been on excavation to prepare the area for the installation of turf, and the construction of a new pavilion is set to begin soon, Christenson said.
She said the park was closed to the public in early February.
“They’re just doing a lot of earthwork on Lions Park to get ready for the turf to be installed and for the parking lot work, so it’s closed off,” Christenson said. “It’s been closed pretty much for the duration of the work.”
Flower said April will be a busy month, with both turf fields and trails being installed.
Christenson said she is most excited for the trails that will span both parks.
“When the project is done, there will be a trail that goes along the perimeter of both parks,” she said. “So, if you were on the playground, or your kid was playing ball, you could walk the whole park on the trail system.”
Christenson did not have dates for when the shade structures, turf or pavilion at Lions Park would be installed, but she said that these improvements are part of the next phase of the project.
Also, the caboose that has been stationed in Legion Park for the last 13 years was removed March 29 by Cowboys Cranes of Villa Ridge. Under their agreement, the city did not pay Cowboys Cranes to remove the caboose but gave it to the business for free for removing it.
Eureka is spending $2,571,553.17 to revitalize the parks and surrounding area. City officials have said the renovations are expected to be completed by Sept. 1.