Posted on August 4, 2017.
Star Staff Reports
The Jones-Phillips Civic Club will host a forum on the deterioration of Orgill Park. The forum will be held 6- 7 p.m., Aug. 14 at Bethlehem Baptist Church located at 8801 Bethuel Road in Millington.
Eric Howard will be the guest speaker and will entertain questions after his presentation on the status and future of Orgill Park.
According to Larry Young, Administrator Parks and Grounds and Executive Director of the Shelby County Conservation Board, Mayor Mark Luttrell has committed to providing additional funding for the improvement of the parks for the next two fiscal years beginning July 1, 2017.
Young also informed the group that the Orgill Park has degraded over time due to the lack of funding during the recent recession and when it was annexed by the city of Millington for about eight years. Millington de-annexed it back to the county in a worsen condition due to their lack of adequate funding.
According to Young a study of Orgill Park was done and the study identified needs in the area of: resurfacing the roadway, removing the rotting posts along the road, replacing old garbage cans with animal proof containers, installing entrances/exits gates, remove/demolish three old pavilions, replacing them with new shelters, remove broken down old back stops from the two unused baseball fields (replace with new ones if there is any interest for future use), repair basketball court, replace old signs and replacing benches and picnic tables with new ones.
Other areas of concern noted were restrooms are outdated and not in compliance with federal law. They are continually vandalized and destroyed wasting valuable tax payer’s money to keep operational.
The restrooms will be replaced with portal-potties and serviced by a contractor after the old ones are removed.
Other concerns can be addressed at the forum if necessary.
For more information, email Jones-Phillips Civic Club President Fred Bailey at [email protected]
