B. RECOMMENDED IMPROVEMENTS:
IMMEDIATE PHASE

Projects are listed in the general order of priority in three time phases: Immediate (1-5 years), Intermediate (6-10 years), and Long Range (11 years and beyond).

Cost estimates are based on the cost of recent similar projects in North Carolina. These estimates are general in nature. Final costs are dependent in a number of variables. All estimates are in 1997 constant dollars. Cost increases should be budgeted for projects scheduled in later years.

Immediate Phase (1-5 Years)

1.    Minor Improvements to Existing Areas

It is assumed that these items, each $5,000 or less, will be funded from operating budgets over the next 2-3 years.

Brown Penn/Ridgeview Center Complex
Brown Penn Center
Cabinets in center director's office $500
Repair roof on new addition 4,000
Replace or repair score clock 3,000
Paint exterior wood and metal 2,000
Brown Penn Senior Center
Repair broken floor tiles, strip and seal. Replace broken ceiling tiles, paint casement windows, repair broken bench in front of Center, repair window blinds. 550
Park Exterior
Remove tennis courts and lights adjacent to Ridgeview Center 4,800
Install a score clock for softball field 3,000
Close 3rd Street
Repair and paint chain link fence beside road, remove gate to small parking lot, repair broken benches, repair asphalt path at playground. 1,200
Civitan Park
Repair all eroded areas and install paving, water diversion or plantings. Areas include hills between park activity areas, path behind ballfield backstop and lawn areas beside street 3,000
Remove wood and chain climber and tire apparatus, paint shelter, repair broken picnic tables, paint football goalpost 700
Remove gates at football field and install barriers, repair concrete at basketball slab. 400
Remove the skateboard / bike ramp in lower parking lot. Cancel the agreement with the adjacent property owner.
Repair or replace broken score board 3,500
Cliff Teague Park
Remove all play equipment and wood swings 1,000
Remove A-Frame swings, remove the cable across the main access path from the 9 space parking lot. Replace with removable post, repair railroad tie steps, fill in and repair the path at the ends of the bridge. 700
Cloninger Mill
See Capital Improvements
Fairbrook Optimist Park
Replace toilet room doors with metal doors 600
Geitner / Rotary Park
Redesign lake front hillside to control water runoff and foot traffic and prevent erosion. 3,500
Repair and relocate boat docks to old police firing range access area. 2,500
Repair and relocate fishing pier to the existing boat ramp. Rebuild shelter 3,500
Make repairs, paint and replace rotten boards and water fountain at the toilet building. Move soil away from the bottom of the wall boards on the back side of the building. 2,000
Repair notice board and paint, relocate 3 picnic tables away from the lake front to the picnic area, remove benches and reinstall them beside the lake. 750
Grayfield
Undeveloped (Reserve for open space)
Hickory Optimist Park
Repair eroded areas, remove stumps in the lawn, paint fence at tennis courts, paint play equipment. 1,800
Remove large oak tree on hill above ball field. Erosion has undermined the roots. 2,000
Convert tennis court to sand volleyball 3,000
Paint snack bar / rest rooms and replace rolled roofing with shingle roof 3,000
Highland Center / Park
Repair eroded areas 3,000
Highland Center
Install ventilation in gymnasium 3,000
Strip locker room floors and reseal 500
Repair or replace score clock 3,000
Improve entrance lighting 300
Hilton Park
Canoe launch ramp - divert water causing erosion, move dumpster to burning area, creating 8 additional parking spaces, repair play equipment, reset fitness trail posts, move fit trail from shelter area. 600
Pave end of concrete bridge to eliminate wash outs, remove climbing wall 500
Refinish laminated wood supporting the bridge to the boardwalk 1,100
Hickory City Park
Raise grade around picnic shelter with non-erodible material 800
Paint picnic shelter rest rooms, control erosion beside parking lot for picnic shelter, paint the tennis building, repair wind curtains, remove junk pile behind the VFW Post near picnic shelter 1,500
Jaycee Park
Remove defective play equipment, including spring animal, pipe maze, and the sliding board on hill, inspect metal for rust 900
Remove lights and electrical boxes at the basketball court 300
Kiwanis Park
Replace slide bolt locks on the upper ball field restroom, restrooms cannot be locked open, remove hillside slide, remove barrel roller play equipment, replace rotten boards on small shelter, place dumpster on pad beside parking lot and screen. 1,500
Neill Clark Recreation Park
Multi-purpose building
Replace lights with recessed light fixtures or place covers on all lights (65 covers). Exposed florescent bulbs are a safety hazard. 1,000
Sheetrock and paint main entrance 1,000
Build storage bins/area for gymnastics equipment 500
Replace worn out gymnastics mats 2,000
Install concrete walkways outside rooms 12, 13, & 14 1,500
Install 30 cubby holes for individual storage in room 14 500
Replace all damaged ceiling tiles 1,200
Build spray room for ceramics 3,500
Gymnasium
Install high volume ventilation system 3,000
Repair water leak in weight room 500
Install partitions in men's toilets in gymnasium dressing rooms. 2,500
Park Exterior
Bury cable wire behind multi-purpose building, place dumpster on concrete pad and screen, repair broken concrete steps leading to gymnasium, paint entrance gates and basketball posts, replace cable and post barriers between gymnasium and multi-purpose building. 1,500
Sandy Pines
Undeveloped (future neighborhood park)
Southside Heights Park
Replace I-beams and cable with wood fence or guard rail (approx. 400 ft.) 1,200
Stanford Park
Replace post and cable with fence or wood guard rail (approx. 150 ft.) 450
Remove railroad tie hillside bleachers and landscape to prevent erosion 500
Implement planting program to screen off the National Guard operation from the park 3,000
Repair eroded areas on hills leading from upper ball field 500
St. Stephens Park
Repair and paint all deteriorated wood surfaces 1,500
Install automatic water control system 4,800
West Hickory Park
Stump removal 150
Westmont Park
Gymnasium
Install ventilation 3,000
Strip restroom floors and reseal, place covers on all interior lights, remove cleaning materials from the rest rooms, close door to rest room and ventilate. 400
Repair or replace score clock 3,000
Senior Center
Install ice machine 3,500
Strip tile floors and reseal 500
Park Exterior
Install walking track 1,500
Remove retaining wall beside gymnasium 300
Winkler Park
Naturalize slopes created by grading 2,000
TOTAL OF MINOR IMPROVEMENTS $128,700

2.    New Capital Projects

Winkler Park
Install large group shelter with access road, parking and toilets $80,000
Lake Hickory (Police Range)
Double boat launching ramp, install boat dock, parking lot and picnic area. 68,000
Maintenance and Administration
Relocate to old public works building 100,000
Purchase dump truck 35,500
Upgrade computer system 50,000
Glenn Hilton Park
New toilet building 60,000
Stanford Park
District Park Development, Phase I
Master site plan, parking, practice soccer and softball fields, 1/2 mile walking track, 5,000 SF outdoor pool and bath house with related facilities 680,000
Brown-Penn / Ridgeview
New 1/2 mile walking track, grassed play area, landscaping 39,700
Continue to acquire land adjoining park No Est.
Kiwanis Park
Upgrade walking track 18,000
Replace play equipment 6,000
Neill Clark Park
1/2 mile walking track 26,000
Replace roof 100,000
Cliff Teague Park
Replace play equipment with all new small play complex (climber, swings, slide). 10,000
Geitner / Rotary Park
Renovate multi-purpose building, lower and insulate ceiling, paint, upgrade kitchen, install lake view windows, replace heating system, install air conditioning 30,000
Repair lake wall (100 ft.) and place a paved walking path beside the wall (600 ft.) 15,000
Hickory Optimist Park
Add complementary play apparatus to existing equipment (4 pieces) 10,000
Highland Center / Park
Repair gutter drains around Center 6,000
Neill Clark Park
Multi-Purpose Building
Replace flooring in areas used for dancing, karate, fitness workout, etc. 9,000
Commercial fitness equipment (8 pieces) 20,000
Replace worn carpet 7,500
Equip kitchen to hold and serve catered food 15,000
Gymnasium
Replace gymnasium lights with metal halide lights 12,000
St. Stephens Park
Remove the existing play equipment and replace with a small play complex (climber, swings, slide). 7,500
Install a vinyl liner in the pool 40,000
Westmont Park
Senior Center
Expand the main assembly room in the Senior Center (1,000 SF) 100,000
Replace fitness equipment with commercial equipment (4 pieces) 10,000
Civitan Park
Replace play equipment with a new small play complex (climber, swings, slide) 10,000
Cloninger Mill
Parking for 20 cars, hiking trail 25,000
Stanford Park
District Park Development, Phase II
18,000 SF Recreation Center with double gyms, dressing rooms, activity room, meeting rooms, game rooms, parking, etc. 2,350,000
New department officers - 2,000 SF 180,000
Sandy Pines
Neighborhood Park
Develop neighborhood park with practice fields, picnicking, parking, toilets, a walking track, play equipment, multi-use area and volleyball 285,000
Soccer Complex
The appropriate role of the City in financing this project depends on a number of variable factors including size, location, type of organization, persons served, etc. Therefore, no cost estimates are possible at this time.
IMMEDIATE PHASE TOTAL $4,404,700