JARRETT GOODMAN
Staff Writer
The approval of both the ratification of a bill regarding a paving project in Kimball Park, as well as the acceptance of donated work by Lofty Asphalt was made during Kimball’s recent city meeting. A local commercial and residential paving and grading contractor from nearby Whitwell, Lofty Asphalt, who is no relation to Alderwoman Teresa Lofty, was approved for its paving project of several spots of the roadway leading throughout Kimball Park.
“That was several soft spots on the road coming in. So, we had them re-do that and widen a spot also,” stated Mayor Pesnell. The bill was approved for a given price of $8,300 for the project. An additional approval was for donated work by Lofty Asphalt for miscellaneous tasks within the park, which added to a collective donation of $5,000 dollars in total. Some of the tasks included putting in new pavement around the playground, as well as an additional section of the roadway leading through the park itself.
“He done some pavement for us around our playground area, where we had some drains put in. And another little section of road that he wanted to donate to the park.” explained the mayor. Both bills were agreed upon and approved by all members of the city board. Also discussed was the bidding for a brand-new concession building, which will be located in the park. A project mentioned in the board’s October meeting by Alderwoman Teresa Lofty, plans for a new concession building have been in place for some time. With the building itself to provide new bathroom stalls and storage rooms for the local soccer and basketball teams, as well as an office space for the Park Board’s director Breanna Patton.
“It will actually be on the end of the tennis courts is where it will be located. And it will be an office for our park director, and a storage area for all of our park items,” explained Lofty. Another major improvement that the building will provide is bathroom stalls, which for Lofty is a major step up from needing to always rent porta potties for each individual game that is held.
“This will actually service the basketball courts and the soccer fields so that we don’t have to order porta potties anymore,” stated Lofty. The drawings and blueprints for the concession building were drawn and donated to the city board by Scott Hawkins, president of STH & Associates Inc. in South Pittsburg, free of charge. All motions for bidding of the project have been approved by all members of the city board, and bids can now be officially submitted by contractors.
