A project roughly five months in the making is nearing its conclusion.

Elizabethton Parks and Recreation Director Mike Mains told the Elizabethton Star Monday that work at Harmon Park, located beside the Elizabethton/Carter County Chamber of Commerce, is wrapping up.

“The park is already in use,” Mains said. “We’ve been able to install new playground equipment, a new pavilion and we’ve been excited to see people use the new additions.”

While the park is available for usage, Mains said staff is currently working toward getting electrical lines placed at the park, which includes placing them inside the restroom facility.

Harmon Park is just another park under the Parks & Rec umbrella that has received attention over the past year. Staff was able to hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony a few months ago for the new equipment at Riverside Park, just down from Joe O’Brien Field. Along with the addition of a splash pad at Franklin Pool, Mains mentioned that staff is starting to gameplan improvements for the popular Kiwanis Park.

“We’re still months out from that project, but that will be the next park that we’ll work on,” Mains said.

City Council recently approved the 2018-19 fiscal year budget that includes over $42,000 for a capital project to place new playground equipment at Kiwanis. The attention to the parks across the city has grown over the years due to the increased usage of all the facilities.

“Each of our projects have been a result of the increase of traffic at the parks,” Mains said. “From playground equipment, to restroom facilities at parks now, even downtown. With the increase of people coming in, Council has helped our department in these different areas and we appreciate the support from them and the community.”

One of the resources that the department has been able to bank on is the work provided from their maintenance staff, led by supervisor David McQueen.

“We’re able to do these projects at a reduced cost thanks to the work our maintenance staff provides,” Mains said. “They work each day to make sure our parks are in great shape for the public.”

Due to the sizeable increase of attendees during the spring and summer months, Mains added that another vital part of keeping parks in tip-top shape comes from community support. Various organizations and community groups are able to partner with the department in the “friends of the park” program to perform projects that are geared toward beautification.

“That’s been another part, all the help from the community,” Mains said. “We would encourage the public to get involved if they can. Even if they can’t participate in a project, just picking up after themselves when visiting a park means so much.”