Grant adds free fitness court, studio to list of new amenities to Polk Park – Mississippi’s Best Community Newspaper

VIDALIA, La. — A free-to-use fitness court and studio is now on the list of amenities to be added to the William T. Polk Park as it is expanded with the Town of Vidalia’s hydroelectric royalty projects.

Loran Scott presented the project at the Vidalia Board of Aldermen meeting on Tuesday and said that a grant would pay part of the cost as part of the National Fitness Campaign supporting the creation of thousands of similar-style courts in cities nationwide.

The city will have to pay $165,000 for the fitness court and the grant covers $35,000, she said.

Included with the court is a QR code to download a free mobile phone app that details fitness routines using the court catered to any age or fitness level.

There would also be an art wall with Vidalia to have a custom mural and an open platform for group dances or instruction.

The Vidalia Board of Aldermen approved $1.6 million last year for Polk Parks expansion out of the hydro royalty fund and this court would be a small part of that, Mayor Buz Craft said.

“It’s a neat thing that we could add with the playground, the splash pad and all of the things we’ve got going on with Polk Park,” he said.

The Board of Aldermen approved a resolution Tuesday to accept the grant.

The National Fitness Campaign will be responsible for administering grant funding for the entire project minus the foundation for it, Scott said.

“They will be supplying all of the equipment, they ship it here and install it and they also cover the press and the ribbon cutting and everything that goes along with that,” she said.

Watch the video below to learn more about the National Fitness Campaign fitness courts.

In other matters, the Vidalia Board of Aldermen approved $150,000 of the hydro fund to support an after-school tutoring program hosted by Concord Youth Group. The board also approved this funding last year for the tutoring program after Concord Youth Group suggested it, but after Craft requested the Concordia Parish School Board be involved the school board “took it and ran with it.” The school board hosted a tutoring program without the organization involved “and that’s my fault,” Craft said.

The aldermen also approved the purchase of a bucket truck for $238,072 after only a single bid had been received from Altec. While it was the only bid, Cornell Lewis, utility superintendent, said the bid was a good one with “inflation being through the roof.”

The aldermen also agreed to renegotiate an interlocal agreement with the Town of Ferriday to use a Vidalia Knuckle Boom Truck for the town’s clean up efforts. The Aldermen already approved allowing the town to use two trucks and workers for one day for $1,500 at a previous board meeting, but it was brought back to the board because Ferriday “couldn’t pay it,” Craft said. Alderman Tommy Probst was alone in voting against a motion by Alderman Tron McCoy to allow the mayor to negotiate a new agreement with Ferriday, stating he thought $750 for one truck was a “good option.”

After no comments were offered by public attendees during the public hearing portion of the meeting, the aldermen approved three ordinance amendments, including two amendments to Ordinance No. 692 to fix the compensation of the municipal clerk and the Board of Aldermen.

As raises were approved for town employees in previous meetings, the aldermen approved raising the clerk’s salary to $62,500 and the aldermen’s salary to $1,000 from $700 per month. The aldermen’s raise, however, is subject to their attendance and the regular board meetings.

A local emergency declaration in anticipation of Tropical Storm Francine was also approved following the State of Louisiana emergency declaration, which allows Mayor Buz Craft to authorize emergency purchases to aid in clean up and recovery during the storm.