Ainsworth playground project at halfway point

AINSWORTH — A representative from the East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG) said just over half of the city’s reimbursable money for new playground equipment had been spent, at a city council meeting Tuesday night.

ECICOG Planner Tom Gruis said outdoor equipment had been purchased, but that the city was still waiting on its arrival and installation.

“The city secured $40,500, and that covers almost all of the project,” he said. “It’s going to add some additional ways for kids to play at the playground here.”

The halfway milestone required a public hearing at the council meeting, which drew no comments.

Gruis said the city had outdoor “percussive musical instruments,” a decision that qualified them for federal COVID relief money by facilitating socially distanced activities.

“Originally we had talked about getting some additional play equipment, but this will actually spread kids out even further,” he said. “There’d be different individual drums or xylophones that you could set up in different parts of the playground, so it’s not all clustered right in one spot.”

Gruis said the city could expect installation of the equipment to wrap up by the start of the next fiscal year.

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com