The View 38002 December 2016- January 2017 | Page 6

Page 6

Arlington Receives Grant For
Future Phases of Forrest
Street Park

On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 the Town of Arlington
was awarded a $500,000 Local Parks and Recreation Funds
(LPRF) grant from the Tennessee Department of
Environment and Conservation (TDEC). Kevin Carter,
Parks Director; Bob Kendall, Director of Public Works;
Jason Allen, Engineer; and Mayor Mike Wissman accepted
the award on behalf of the Town at a ceremony held that
day.
The Town plans to use the grant to help fund the 2nd and
3rd phases of Forrest Street Park. Construction during those
phases will include a concession building with restrooms,
sidewalks, walking trails, and a play area. The paved road
will be extended to the rear of the property, and LED lights
will be added to the parking area. An irrigation system,
additional split rail fencing, and a fountain-type water
aerator will be added to the front retention pond.
According to Parks Director Kevin Carter, the
anticipated start is Summer 2017. Total cost for the
project is estimated to be around $1,028,000.

theview

.com

December 2016 / January 2017

City of Lakeland Holds “Poking in the Pond” Nature Camp
Story and photos by Kim Odom, Special to THE VIEW 38002

Poking around had never
been as much fan, as it was
for kids participating in the
Poking in the Pond camp
hosted Saturday, Nov. 12, at
International Harvester
Managerial Park in
Lakeland. The City of
Lakeland’s Parks and
Recreation Department and
the Lichterman Nature
Center partnered up to teach
kids that ponds and lakes are
rich habitats that support a
diversity of life.
The elementary students
tried mocking the sounds of
various types of animals
living near water. Eight-year

-old, Jesse
Grammer, had a
pretty good duck
call.
A nature walk
around the IH
Park and 5-acre
fishing lake led to
many discoveries
on what types of
animals live near
the fresh water
lake and how
they survive
living in the wild.
The inquisitive
campers quickly
spotted clam
shells and
crawfish holes
around the bank
near the water.
Campers had the
opportunity to see
a beaver's skull, a
heron's skull, and
made friends with
a red-eared slider turtle that
volunteer naturalist
instructor, Mavis Negroni,
brought with her for show
and tell. The group even got
a close up look at living
animals from the lake, when
they filled up trays with lake
water and observed the
water, looking for living
animals using magnifying
glasses. Negroni led an
interactive nature class for a
one-of-a-kind learning
experience.