At a recreation committee meeting held Thursday morning in the Covington City Council Chambers, Chairman Lee Alexius and Councilman Mark Sacco reviewed new equipment for the playground as well as picnic tables and benches as part of a renovation of the park on W.15th Avenue in Covington.

The estimated $16,500 expenditure would include three steel picnic tables, in yellow, blue and green; a square picnic table in red with yellow tubing; four steel benches, one each in red, blue, yellow and green; two red steel trash cans with in ground mounts and lids with cable attachments; three whirlwind play seats; three whirlwind tilted seats intended for older children; a miniature whirl; a power-scape swing with an additional bay; a tire swing; a health ladder and two balance beams.

The equipment cannot be ordered, until a determination is made as to whether the selected equipment can be ordered through a state contract, saving the city sales tax.

Hubie Gallagher Park on W. 15th Avenue in Covington is awaiting renovation of the extended play area. (Staff Photo by Debbie Glover)

Administrative personnel were not at the meeting to provide the needed information, although the park has $20,000 in the city’s budget, said Sacco.

The wooden playground was demolished earlier this year at the park due to safety issues, such as missing boards, exposed nails and broken slats.

The park, which used to have a swimming pool years ago, is a favorite gathering place, particularly for jogging and biking enthusiasts. It is located at one end of the Covington jogging/ bike path on W. 15th Avenue.

The path continues for about a mile to River Forest subdivision.

The jogging club, 15th Street Flyers, uses the path every Tuesday night as a beginning and ending point for members. They also built the current pavilion at the park and serve refreshments and host dinners for their members at the location.

Diane Weiss, founder of the group, recently made a contribution to the recreation department on behalf of the Flyers.

At that time, Councilman Mark Sacco suggested that their contribution be used at Hubie Gallagher Park.

Alexius and Sacco said that as soon as the equipment companies’ statuses as state contractors is determined, they will be ordering the equipment to begin the improvements.