The City of Stroud has been invited to have a table at Route 66 Day at the State Capitol on April 21.
GrantAdministrator Leslie Wilbourn presented the news during her update at the regular Stroud City Council meeting onApril 9. Stroud was awarded two Route 66 Centennial grants -- one for the neon signs and another for the Public Library -- and as such, will have tables in the Rotunda of the Capitol building.
Wilbourn also reported that things are still moving with the neon sign project. They have received all escrow funds from businesses and are working through a final punch list. The city is currently waiting to see if it will receive another grant through Round 5 of the program, which should be announced on April 23. Regarding the library grant, Wilbourn said they have finished the neon sign design. They have also posted to fill a new part-time position so they can extend library hours from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The funds have also been used to purchase supplies for more activities and to set up scavenger hunts involving local businesses. “The Stroud Neon Sign Committee, but also the public library and the public library board, have worked very hard to find ways in which we can encourage individuals to stop and learn about Stroud, versus just driving straight through and just seeing the neon signs and heading on,” Wilbourn said.
Wilbourn said they are producing a video to show how the neon signs are made, which will play in the library.
The Stroud Public Library also received the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Currently, they are focusing on the windows and finding the cause of leaks. Wilbourn said they have finished the evaluation and will be looking at the roof and exterior windows.
Stroud is currently working on improvements to Foster Park through the TSETBuildEnvironmental Grant. Wilbourn said it’s a two-year project with the first year focusing on installing a concrete pad and pavilion by the baseball and softball fields. The pad has been completed, and they are now working on the awning. It will be installed alongsidefitness equipment that has also arrived, according to Wilbourn.
The town received a Municipal Road Drilling Activity Fund from the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, which is being used to improve Elm and Allied Roads, starting from State Highway 99 to State Highway 66. The site evaluation has been completed, and they are waiting on specifications. Those will then be submitted for the vendor evaluations. Wilbourn said it will be a bit inconvenient for drivers when the work starts, as they are planning to shut down small sections of the road while laying the fabric. However, this is because it’s a one-time opportunity to “really do a good job repaving the roads.”
She is also still working on getting a design and estimate for the new fire station, as well as applying for the T-Mobile Hometown Grant, which would give the city two LED digital display boards for the softball and baseball fields at Foster Park.
Wilbourn said that, unfortunately, the town did not receive the TSET Build Environment Construction Grant, which they planned to use for the fitness center. They also did not receive the pilot program, which wouldhavefundedresearch and evaluations into the engineering needed to fix where Route 66 transitions into South 3540 Road (Ozark Trail Road) in preparation for the new Stroud Midway Free Industrial Railway Spur.