Meeker’s totally renovated Glenn Crest Park, recently opened to the public, was dedicated earlier this week with a ribbon cutting.
The renovated park includes new playground equipment installed to fit various ages. Swing sets for all ages, rock climbs, slides and tubes are among the items that people can enjoy.
There are new basketball backboards and goals with a newly paved court, volleyball nets, a large concrete parking lot, plants and flowers, picnic tables and park benches.
Town Administrator Dickie Walton initially estimated cost of the renovation would be around $100,000.
He now estimates the total investment of the park is more than $200,000. “The only cost to us was our city labor and that was off and on and in between our weekly duties,” he said.
That’s due to all the donations from businesses, individuals and organizations, including those inkind.
As Walton has pointed out, when the town embarked on this project, there were three major sources of revenue.
Recently, he pointed to those being a $60,000 donation from a local Meeker business, Oklahoma Medicine, LLC., a $22,000 grant from TSET, and $6,000 from the Meeker Growth and Development Committee.
He said that $6,000 came from the mini-pageants and Pumpkin Festivals held by Growth and Development.
“The new columns with beautiful stone at the front entrance was provided by Robbie Hulstine Enterprises valued at $5,000,” Walton noted.
Oklahoma Beautiful, DEQ and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation provided $5,000 and Lowe’s gave them the plants and flowers that would have cost $6,500.
OG&E provided $2,500, Walton said.
Walton said one set of playground equipment is for little kids ages 2-5 and another is for bigger kids ages 5-9. Also, 5,642 square feet of mulch with a safety border around it has been installed.
“There are also three swing sets for teenagers and adults,” Walton stated.
Van Eaton Concrete provided the $14,000 in concrete for the parking lot. “The $13,000-$14,000 for the rebar, pouring and finishing of the concrete we paid for that and it came from our donation,” Walton said.
There is a new outdoor restroom provided by T-Sports and they also will clean it and maintain it on a weekly basis, Walton said.
S&S Striping did the seal coating and striping of the basketball court and striping on the new concrete parking lot.
The Town Administrator said that Top Turf sponsored the new sod around the basketball court and the front entrance.
Connie Walton and Debbie Williams are the gardeners that planted all the flowers and plants at the two gardens at the park.
Irwin Steel sponsored some of the posts for both the basketball and volleyball goals.
Donna Weber and Pam Martinez each purchased park benches.
Walton said Vision Bank and BancFirst also purchased picnic tables and park benches.
Central Disposal sponsored a roll off dumpster for the cleanup and trash at the park, he said.
Walton stated, “Hertz Rentals loaned us a ditcher to put the water line in at the park at no cost.”
Wal-Mart sponsored one of the basketball backboards, goal and post.
And the Meeker Historical Society, Meeker Ministerial Alliance and the Meeker Alumni sponsored picnic tables, Walton said.
Lincoln County District 3 hauled in washed sand for the volleyball court, he said.
Walton explained the original planning committee for the park was comprised of Jason Hessman, Deseree Brown, Sherry Ripley, David Smith, Mike and Susan Van Eaton with office manager Jeanne.