Othello awarded grant for new Kiwanis Park playground

OTHELLO — A new playground and an expanded parking lot will be coming to Othello’s Kiwanis Park with the help of federal and state grants – a project that had been canceled when part of the grant funding was denied. 

The money will be used to add 17 additional parking spaces at Kiwanis Park, which is on South Seventh Avenue. The existing playground will be removed and replaced with new equipment. Sarah Montemayor, Othello grant administrator, said 2027 is probably the earliest construction date. 

“This project would not even be taken into consideration in this year’s budget,” Montemayor said.  

Public Works Director Robin Adolphsen said it’s still in the design stage, but a tentative plan shown at Monday’s Othello City Council meeting included toys accessible to children with limited mobility. Kiwanis Park won’t be as big as the playground in Lions Park, Montemayor said. 

“The focus being that parking lot, getting more parking at Kiwanis,” Montemayor said. “With the splash pad coming, with this going in there – we would be taking out the equipment that is borderline at-risk, that anyway needed to come out.”  

Adolphsen said the project relied on two separate grants; the city received a $500,000 grant from the state, but a federal grant for $625,000 was denied. Under those circumstances, city officials canceled the project and returned the $500,000.  

But city officials were notified in December that Othello received the federal grant after all, and state officials agreed to re-award the $500,000. The city will be required to pay about $125,000. 

Othello City Council members also approved an additional $35,300 for the Kiwanis Park splash pad. The splash pad has been in development for a few years, and Adolphsen said the extra money will be used to finish the design according to the original specifications. 

“We agreed to that element almost two years ago,” Adolphsen said, but inflation pushed the cost above the original budget.  

Montemayor said city officials looked for other ways to cut costs. 

“We’ve already put in cost-saving measures; we’ve already reduced the size of the trails to try to get everything within the budget, but we’re still having that shortfall,” Montemayor said.  

The walking trails that extend through the park will be narrower, she said, and some of the lighting had to be modified.  

Council members voted 6-1 to approve, with council member Marc Spohn voting no. He said he thought the cost overrun was too much for a project that’s not available year-round. 

“I’m hearing keep it safe, keep it fun, but keep it basic,” he said. “I’m not interested in paying $35,000 to go a different feature.” 

Council member Angel Garza disagreed, saying it’s the only place for children to go on hot summer days. 

“I’m more than (supportive), due to the fact that we don’t have a swimming pool right now, and we don’t know how long it’s going to take,” Garza said. “I’m for it 100%.”  

Spohr said he thought the city should repurpose what it has. 

“There are two water features over at the pool that are not being used, so bring those over,” Spohr said.