City to look at lighting park

Let there be light – maybe. A request brought to the Osceola City Council may result in Osceola’s Warren Family Park receiving lighting, as the request is sent to the Osceola Parks and Rec Board.

At the Aug. 19 meeting of the council, Osceola City Administrator Ty Wheeler explained the lighting request had come from councilwoman Luci Sullivan, who had received requests about lights in the park from her constituents. Warren Family Park is located at 2520 Truman Road, at the intersection of Truman and Warren Avenue.

“It is an area that is growing within the community… we’ve talked about and have some opportunities to do some park improvements,” Wheeler said.

There was not, however, a specific vision for the lighting.

“Basketball was the main thought process there,” Sullivan said. “My thought process also, depending on where or what kind of lighting we place, that could flow over towards that playground side or that picnic table… probably having it more in the middle, in between to help with that.”

The two-acre park has a full-length basketball court on the western side of the lot, a playground in the middle and covered shelter with picnic table on the eastern side.

Osceola Mayor Thomas Kedley said he liked the idea of adding lighting there, and suggested bringing the request to the Parks and Rec board for the “checks and balances” of the city government. Councilwoman Sonya Hicks mentioned the number of people who use the park and could benefit from lighting.

“Kids hang out there all the time… a lot of people use it,” she said.

Osceola Police Chief Marty Duffus concurred with the amount of youth who are in the area.

“You’ve got three school bus [stops]...a ton of kids in that neck of the woods,” Duffus said.

Kedley spoke about the city’s comprehensive vision and plan, part of which was for park improvements. The Future Osceola Comprehensive plan 2025-2045, which was approved Feb. 4, shows needs at the park as border repair and improvements and playground equipment updates. The playground equipment was installed in 1994, and the basketball court in 1995. At one time, the basketball court doubled as a skating rink during the winter months.

Kedley asked if the city would be able to piggyback off of Alliant Energy poles, if any exist in the area, as they have with other projects. Wheeler stated he did not know, but that would be a conversation to have with them, to see if there would be any concepts to implement a partnership with them.

After more discussion, Sullivan made a motion that was seconded by Hicks to send the lighting request to Parks and Rec; the motion passed 5-0.