Our Parks department personnel, led by Parks Supervisor Jeremiah Barnard, and overseen by Highway Superintendent Donnie Younker, have been hard at work all year, doing an incredible job improving our parks.
These are some of the improvements that they have made in 2025:
Vestal Center Park:
Our Parks Department personnel have added two unisex bathrooms and a small pavilion, increasing the convenience and usability of the Little League field, basketball court, and tennis courts.
As part of this project, electrical and water service were extended to the site. The pavilion now features electrical receptacles, and security lighting was added around both the pavilion and restrooms. A drinking fountain will also be installed next to the pavilion in the spring.
Additional improvements include a new concrete pad with upgraded bleachers along the first-base line of the Little League field, as well as new off-street parking along the roadside edge of the park.
These investments enhance accessibility, comfort, and overall enjoyment of Vestal Center Park for residents and visitors alike.
Stratford Park:
Our Parks Department personnel have also made all of improvements at Stratford Park, including:
A brand-new pavilion, replacing the old one
A new charcoal grill and garbage receptacle have been installed
Fresh concrete walkways have been added to improve accessibility for all
The playground has been cleaned and refreshed with a new wood chip base
The grounds have been regraded with a swale to help drainage
The park is open, welcoming, and ready for visitors!
Four Corners Memorial Park
Our Parks Department personnel also made major improvements in Four Corners Memorial Park, expanding on their previous years' work. They installed an electrical panel, new lights, photo eye, timer controls for the gazebo, and a new Kiosk that protects all the control boxes and panels. They also added new underground wires, new weather-tight electrical boxes throughout the park, and a new dedicated switch and weatherproof receptacle for the Christmas Tree. These improvements will add the power needed for all the new events at the park. In addition, they replaced the lighting on the flags, Fireman's Monument, and added new lighting to the War Memorial. Phase three of the Memorial Park improvement will be the reconstruction of the gazebo railings with new iron and hardwood railings, sanding and refinishing of the gazebo deck, and new decorative fascia, planting boxes and landscaping around the gazebo. All this will be completed by the Parks Department personnel in 2026. After a three-year improvement plan they will have rebuilt all of the park’s infrastructure and refinished the gazebo.
Installation of a Cricket Field in Castle Gardens Park
Our Parks personnel are also building a cricket field in Castle Gardens Park, in response to requests from residents. The cricket field is 90% complete. In the spring they will install the artificial turf on the concrete pad, deep tine the field to help with drainage, and then seed, fertilize, and roll the field flat. The field will be ready to be used after that.
Our Parks Department personnel do an incredible job restoring, rebuilding, and maintaining all of our parks. We thank them for all their work!