The Franklin Common Council has approved spending $520,000 to upgrade Christine Rathke Park, Franklin Woods Park, Ken Windl Park and Friendship Park.
These improvements are part of a five year comprehensive outdoor recreation plan, which is now in its second year.
$204,000 of the park improvement funds come directly from impact fees paid by developers when they build new subdivisions and commercial projects, and the rest comes from the city budget (though officials say this calculation can change in the future).
Interestingly, there is a rule which states that NEW park improvements can be paid for out of impact fees, while repair of normal wear and tear must be paid for out of the the city's general fund. This is somewhat odd, as an added population of park users from a new subdivision can certainly accelerate wear and tear to the extent that the new subdivision has created "impact." The city has hired an independent consultant to determine which is which (paid for out of the general fund, one must assume).
The projects are expected to be complete by early next summer.
[paraphrased from an article by Denise Lockwood in The Franklin Hub, 10/27/06]
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