City of Grant; Park and Rec takes chamber spotlight in June

At the regular monthly chamber meeting on Thursday, June 17, City of Grant Superintendent Edward Dunn spoke on behalf of the city’s Park and Rec program. 

Dunn emphasized the excitement at the new pool, with a new capacity of 200 patrons, “we have been as high as 188 in water, averaging about 113-130 a day,” he said. 

Dunn also spoke about the ball program this year. He said there are 9 teams,  and over 120 kids. He gave credit to “wonderful sponsors.”

Dunn said the new park shelter is now complete and useable, but said the guys will be working on the dirt around the outside over the summer and into the fall.

Dunn said that the Park and Rec program received a “glorious donation from Marvin Stumpf for a Musical Playground Equipment Set” which will include five different pieces of equipment that will be installed sometime in September.

The history of the program goes back as far as most can remember, however, it is unknown the exact start date. The Parks and Recreation Department was developed as a department of the City of Grant almost as early as the City was founded itself.  

“We can not find any records that show who were the first Parks and Recreation Department employees, but we have been blessed to have many amazing lifeguards, umpires, volunteers, and Directors over the many years the department has been around,” Dunn said. 

Dunn said the focus of the Parks and Recreation Department has always been and will continue to be, to provide an atmosphere of safety, excitement and sustainability whether at the park, pool or ballfields.

The Parks and Recreation is a department of the City of Grant funded by the taxpayers of the City of Grant.

“The Parks and Recreations target customer is everyone, literally everyone, from old to young, from big to small, from fast to slow, again literally everyone,” Dunn emphasized. 

The Parks and Recreation Department employees include one full-time Director and between 12-18 seasonal part-time employees.

What are the plans for the future of the business?

As far as the future of the program goes, Dunn says “the sky is the limit!”  

“Now that the Pool is finished, the focus will shift somewhat to improving the aging park equipment and the ball fields, with emphasis on continuing to have the best Park in all of Southwest Nebraska.”

The Park and Rec Director is Brittany Brott and she can be reached at 308-352-2100 or via email at cog.parkandrec@gmail.com.