Initial
development of 20 acres devoted to recreation fields at Bowling Green’s National Guard Training and
Community Center should begin next spring.The city has selected Feller-Finch of Maumee to design the layout
of the fields along with engineering the drainage and irrigation and writing bid documents. Parks and
Recreation Director Dr. Michelle Grigore said Wednesday the project will be bid in the spring to begin as
soon as weather conditions permit. "Even with an early start and irrigation system it is ‘iffy’ we’ll
be able use any of the fields next fall," she said.Feller-Finch was one of five firms that submitted
qualifications and was interviewed about the project. Grigore said Feller-Finch has done similar work for
the athletic fields at St. John’s Jesuit in Toledo and for other cities.The city completed purchase of the
property Nov. 8 from Robert Maurer for $500,000. The 20-acre parcel runs east to west on the south side of
the center, touching Haskins Road on the west.The land is to be developed in five-acre increments as funds
become available.On another project, Grigore said the estimated cost of the rehabilitation project for the
Rotary Nature Center at Wintergarden/St. John’s Nature Preserve is $300,000, not the $250,000 announced
earlier. "After we put out the promotional materials I was told the $250,000 figure did not include the
outbuilding," she said Wednesday. The outbuilding is a restroom.The city has submitted a request for
$100,000 toward the project in the Ohio Capital Budget, which will be decided next April. Grigore recently
made a presentation on the proposal in Toledo. It is unknown how many of the projects will move forward but
the BG request was the second lowest amount requested at the district review.She said the Bowling Green
Parks and Recreation Department has already raised $50,000 toward the project.Grigore said the department
will hold a public forum early in 2014 at a date to be determined about development of the Ridge Elementary
property. She said there are various stories circulating about how the property will be used. "The city
is moving ahead with plans for demolition of the building but we need to get a feel for how much development
the public wants. Should it be just green space or be a developed park?"She discussed the public forum
idea with Mayor Richard Edwards following Tuesday night’s meeting of the Board of Parks and Recreation.The
board also:• Approved rental fees and rates for 2014, holding the line on most items, including the BG City
Pool and Waterpark.• Learned the sale of passes at the Community Center this year remains well-ahead of this
time in 2011, which was the first year the operation did not show an increase. Grigore said it is too early
to know if the record 2010 year will be exceeded.• Learned Tom Klein has underwritten planting costs for the
Upland Garden at Simpson Garden Park in honor of Charlie Harper and John Calderonello. The garden should be
completed in 2014.