Plans, Planning For Parks Okd

Plans for developing one major park, and hiring a firm to plan a second were approved by City Council Monday night. Council authorized the Parks and Recreation Department to proceed with the first phase of the development of Leslie Park in the city's northeast sector. Also approved were the hiring of consultants to plan a park on a portion of the city's landfill at Platt and Ellsworth Roads. Thomas Raynes, supervisor of parkland development for the city, told council the Leslie phase one work will be preparatory work, including grading, providing top soil and establishing a turf on the 25-acre parcel. The site is a former gravel pit. He said this work will be done this summer, at an estimated cost of $100,000. Other phases of work will include construction of both formal (lighted) and informal ball diamonds, a basketball court, tennis courts, a toboggan run and a shelter. Money for the first phase is available, Raynes said, but the additional work will have to be paid for from future bond issues or state or federal grants. The consulting firm of Beckett, Jackson and Raeder Inc. was hired at a maximum cost of $33,000 to prepare plans for the landfill park. Council.was told the planners will consider creating some "body of water," either a pond or pool, year-round recreational activities ranging from tennis, ball playing and tobogganing to more passive nature activities. About 25 acres of land have already been filled, graded and seeded for temporary use, and a temporary ball diamond has been established. Eventually, the park is expected to total some 173 acres.