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$20,000 in Grant Money Awarded to the City of Bondurant
By: Carol Bousselot, Admin. Assistant
Date Published: Tuesday, March 22, 2011
$20,000 in Grant Money Awarded to the City of Bondurant
The City of Bondurant recently was awarded a total of $20,000 from the 2010 Prairie Meadows Community Betterment Grant Program. The City was awarded $10,000 for the Bondurant “Student Scientists” Watershed Project. The City was also awarded another $10,000 towards Lake Petocka Park Playground Equipment.
Bondurant “Student Scientists” Watershed Project: $10,000 Grant
The Bondurant “Student Scientist” Watershed Project teaches students to take stormwater samples in an effort to improve stormwater quality. This project hopes to encourage citizens to assist in identifying water quality conditions within the community, and propose watershed-based solutions using the data collected. The funds received from the Prairie Meadows Community Betterment Grant will be used toward equipment purchases, IO Water Certification training costs, flow-rate sensors, and waders and life jackets for student use.
Earth Science students from Bondurant-Farrar High School will participate in a yearly water quality monitoring project as part of their school curriculum. Students will collect data using five sets of Vernier equipment at fixed locations throughout the City of Bondurant, then retrieve, analyze and interpret the data. The State Hygienics Laboratory at the University of Iowa will analyze the samples and processes to ensure data rigor and quality compliance.
This fall, a weather station was added to the new high school to help students identify qualifying rainfall events, so that students would know when to take water samples. Information from the weather station is available to the public. To access the weather station, you must have internet capability. Simply visit the Weather Station website at www.weatherlink.com/user/bondurant and you will view current weather conditions at Bondurant-Farrar High School. The link is available on our City website, located under “About Bondurant”, “Weather Conditions”. The link is also available on the Bondurant-Farrar School’s website, under the “Weather” webpage.
The Bondurant “Student Scientist” Watershed Project was created by Roy McCleary, Stormwater Coordinator for the City of Bondurant. Mr. Lance Maffin, Science Instructor at Bondurant-Farrar High School, coordinates the Earth Science students who are involved with the project with Roy. The City of Bondurant is very pleased to be working in conjunction with Bondurant-Farrar educators and students to help address stormwater monitoring issues for the community.
Lake Petocka Park Playground Equipment: $10,000 Grant
The Parks and Recreation Department has selected All Inclusive Rec., a Little Tikes vendor, to design and produce playground equipment to replace and improve the current playground structure located at Lake Petocka Park, near the South Shelter. Final specifications of the structure are being provided, and the order will be placed on Friday, March 25, 2011, with an expected delivery date of April 25, 2011. We hope to have all equipment installed by June 1, 2011, with help from our local Boy Scouts Troop 10. There will be a “Grand Opening” date to be announced, after all equipment has been installed.
The total cost of the playground equipment project is estimated at $40,000. The playground equipment will be partially funded by the $10,000 grant received from the 2010 Prairie Meadows Community Betterment Grant Program, with another $15,000 being funded by the City. Drainage of the playground site will cost the City $10,000, and adding mulch for fall-safety will cost the City $5,000.
Lake Petocka Park is receiving a big “facelift” this year with other improvement projects, in addition to this new playground equipment installation. A South Shelter Reconstruction Project is currently underway to improve and repair the structure, with labor being donated by the Bondurant Lion’s Club (the original benefactors of the building). The total cost expected for the South Shelter Reconstruction Project is $5,000. Making it even easier for our residents to enjoy Lake Petocka Park, by June 1, 2011, there will also be a bike path installation connecting 2nd St. NE all the way to the South Shelter area of Lake Petocka Park, where the playground equipment will be installed. This new walk/bike path will allow a safer route for families to get “on the move” to Lake Petocka to get some great exercise and enjoy our updated Lake Petocka Park this summer!
To read about other upcoming City Projects, please click here.