Park Board Approves Plans for Maintenance Shed, Pavilion

The Effingham Park Board Wednesday approved blueprints for construction of a maintenance shed at Evergreen Hollow Park and a pavilion and concession stand at Community Park.

Park District Director Jeff Althoff is hopeful the 40-by-80-foot maintenance shed can be completed this year.  Althoff said they'll start taking bids on some of the project, but hopes Park District crews can do much of the work.  He hopes the project can be completed for under $150,000.

Althoff said the building is needed because activities at Evergreen Hollow continue to increase and a place to house equipment and other items would lessen moving items back and forth between different parks.

As for the pavilion, the 30-by-50-foot facility will include a concession stand in the back.  The pavilion will be located between the Cal Ripken League field and Sehy Field on the west side of the park near Engbring Street. 

Althoff said the pavilion would provide good access to both ballparks and to the nearby play area.  He also noted the red pavilion in that area is in the "flight path" of the disc golf course.

Also Wednesday, Althoff reviewed summer program numbers for baseball and softball.  The turnout was almost exactly the same for 2013 as for 2012...1,140 this year, 1,133 last year.  Althoff said the percentages remain about the same for in-district and out-of-district participants, too...60% in-district, 40% out-of-district.