C’ville Park Association reveals plans for year

The Collinsville Park Association has plans to spruce up areas at the baseball and soccer fields this spring. 

Association President Jessica Orsburn reported to the City Council at their March 11 meeting that the association secured $6K from the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) to help pay for some work at the baseball fields. The association has also received bids for two gazebos to be erected at the baseball park. One will be placed on an 18’x20’ slab between the playground and the softball field to be used as a gathering place during tournaments, etc. A second, smaller gazebo will be placed at Old Depot Park. 

After baseball season ends, the Park Association plans to repaint all of the maroon poles at the field. They’re also looking into purchasing soccer goals for the football field so Collinsville teams can practice in town. (Currently soccer players travel to Whitesboro to practice on their soccer fields.) Upon council’s suggestion, Orsburn will reach out to the high school to see if soccer goals could be a possible project for ag students.

The Park Association is also considering some community events in the coming year. They have purchased an inflatable movie screen and projector and plans to host Movies On the Square, family-friendly movie nights for the community. They are also discussing a possible haunted house or haunted hayride for an October fundraiser. 

At this same meeting, Betty Graham, Keep Collinsville Beautiful (KCB) president, reported that the group’s recent Recycle Day was one of the best they’ve ever had. Twelve volunteers saw a steady stream of people dropping off items. They collected 10 pallets of recyclables, raising $631 for the organization.

“That’s the most we’ve ever been able to collect,” Graham said.

KCB also thanked the EDC and City Council for funds to replace American flags for Memorial Day. Additionally, Graham reported that in 2023, KCB provided more than 600 volunteer hours, which is the equivalent of around $20K of volunteer service to the city.

The Collinsville Community Library had a good response for their recent business startup class. On March 27, they will offer a class about the upcoming solar eclipse. In April, kids can gather at the library and receive special glasses to watch the eclipse. The library’s summer reading program will start up again in June, ending with a pool party at the Whitesboro public pool. Then in September, the library will hold a class to explain Medicare options and enrollment plans.

The council discussed an ordinance amending registration for recreational vehicles like golf carts and neighborhood electric vehicles. The council agreed to change the registration period to calendar year and provide prorated fees for the first partial year of registration.

The council also considered two bids from landscape companies regarding mowing and maintenance of the downtown gazebo area, welcome signs at the north, south and east entrances of Collinsville and the cemetery entrance. 

The bids included pricing for weeding, mowing, trimming and fertilizing. Because Alderman Tom Worsham is in a working relationship with one of these companies, he abstained from the vote. The two bids were considerably different in price, and the council decided to have the city clean up these areas for now. They authorized the mayor to get more details from one of the companies before making a final decision.

The council retired to executive session but, upon returning to open meeting, took no action.