Metro Parks Director Says Morgan Park Upgrades Will Start before Mid-Summer

Given CM Erica Gilmore's promise relayed from Mayor Karl Dean last December that Morgan Park would be getting its overdue playground this fiscal year, given that no ground had yet been broken, and given that the end of the fiscal year is rapidly-approaching June 30, I contacted Metro Parks Director Roy Wilson last week to ask for an update.

Mr. Wilson's preliminary answer to me was that capital dollars and all projects had been frozen due to the budget crunch. However, on further follow-up the Director found out that the construction plans for Morgan Park were in fact moving forward toward Americans with Disabilities Act approval and then the bidding process. The new timeline for construction of the playground to begin is 10 weeks from now. That looks like it will put completion of the playground in the next fiscal year rather than this one.

I also asked Director Wilson about some demolition of a sidewalk and earthmoving that occurred recently on the southwest corner of the park at Morgan Park Place on the greenway spur. He went out and inspected the site and got back to me with the news that Parks is going to install a new fountain. The contractor has 70 days to complete the fountain and landscape the greenway in that section of the park.