HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – As construction progresses at the future sight of Rotary Park at Pardue Lane, the Hopkinsville City Council is faced with a significant decision about how to cover the price tag as fundraising efforts fall short.
At the end of the July 1 city council meeting, Hopkinsville Mayor J.R. Knight revealed that funding for the proposed ADA compliant, fully inclusive playground is officially $375,000 short.
“The reason I bring it up tonight is because I’ve got to sign contracts on the 15th or tell the playground people we are not doing this,” said Knight. While the park has been in the works for approximately four years now, the ball started rolling when the Hopkinsville Rotary Club donated $100,000 to help fund the playground aspect.
Since then, continuous fundraising efforts have been attempted by Rotary, including collaborating with local restaurants and reaching out to the community on social media. In the end, Knight said they did not raise what they anticipated, managing to bring in an additional $50,000.
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Using capital reserve
Hopkinsville Parks and Recreation Director Toby Hudson shared that the total cost of the playground is just over $800,000. Various grants combined with the money from Rotary cover a large chunk of that, but $375,000 remains. If the deadline to move forward with construction contracts is not met, discussions about downsizing the playground would be next.
Knight proposed that the city covers the full remaining balance from the city’s capital reserve fund to finally move toward finishing the park.
“We have a healthy reserve right now, and we are in a position where we can pay for it,” said Councilmember Amy Craig in response. She also added that ultimately, it is a city park, so funding a large bulk of the costs would make sense. After brief discussion, other councilmembers agreed that directly funding the playground would be the best option, and Knight emphasized that it will be a large, fantastic addition to the city.
The council will officially vote about designating the funds from the capital reserve at the next meeting. Meanwhile, fundraising efforts will continue.
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