Nichols Park occupied several agenda items for the Henryetta city council Tuesday.
The council approved the purchase of a 14 by 70 foot pre-fabricated building that will be used as a bathroom and shower facility at the park.
According to David Bullard, the building is a surplus military bathhouse trailer that contains showers, commodes and sinks.
militaryIt was originally situated on a military base then purchased to use in oil fields. It comes with two stalls, three urinals and ten showers on one side and three stalls and four showers on the other. Each side has three sinks.
“It has a 120-gallon hot water tank,” said mayor Jennifer Clason. She pointed out that studies to put in similar facilities at the park have been estimated to cost at least $150,000.
The city would have to install a septic tank at Nichols Park for the facility. No date was given when the facility would be installed and ready for use.
Members of the Henryetta Collective Band, a gospel group, received permission to hold a four-hour worship music event Aug. 11.
Band member Jonathan Petruska said it would be located at the beach house and would be presented at no charge to the public.
Another addition to both Nichols and McCutcheon Park would be a drink vending machine.
Chris Sneed requested permission to install the machines on a trial basis at both sites. “Anything to better the sites is a good idea,” said council member Bill Goodner. He pointed out the machines would be installed at Sneed’s own risk and the city would have no liability. Goodner also specified that no glass containers would be sold through the machines.
Vernon Britt, organizer of the Nichols Park Restoration Project, said his group has painted the metal gates on the south side of the park and firing range.
“We’ve been using court-ordered community service people to do much of the work,” he told the council.
That organization has been collecting money for supplies through donation jars at several businesses throughout town. Britt said those donations have been declining and now the group is raising money through sales of “I Love Nichols Park” bracelets and t-shirts.
He told the council that all monies raised so far have been accounted for and all income and expenses are available if requested.
“You are totally separate from the city,” said Clason referring to the funds.
Britt said members of the Union Sportsmens Alliance will be back in Henryetta Thursday to go over some of the work at the lake. “This is a great bunch of guys and I think they will do a lot for us,” he said.
The dilapidated wooden fishing dock by the dam is one of the first projects the group would like to take care of, Britt pointed out. “They did tell us the dock would be a sure deal.”
Britt said the park is receiving more attention and use and felt that is holding down the problem with grafitti and vandalism. “The more things we have going on out there, the more eyes that watch the park.”
Council members approved a plan to swap some land with Okmulgee County commissioners.health department
That land swap would entail giving up several acres located just south of the current District 3 county barn for the property where the now-closed health department office sits near the football field.
“The county has used that land by the barn to store pipes and other things on for a long time,” Clason said. The health department property and building has been appriased at $250,000.