KINGSTON — It’s really starting to happen.
The Kingston Village Green and Community Center is slowly coming to fruition, as the site formerly used for Navy housing is about to be ready for public use and enjoyment.
The Navy housing was torn down in September 2008 so the space could be used for a park/green open space, which will be a part of the larger 14-acre Village Green and Community Center project.
Kingston residents wanted to leave the road on the property, as that requires minimal grating, freeing up more funds for the overall project. The County (Parks and Recreation) on the other hand was undecided about removing the road and grating and replanting it, at an increased cost.
The road will stay in place, and it’s time to get down and dirty to make the site useable for residents by summertime.
Kingston residents and Village Green supporters are partnering with the County Department of Parks and Recreation and Public Works to clean up the site.
Bobbie Moore, executive director of the Kingston Community Center Foundation, said county entities are helping out by supplying liability coverage and most of the materials for the clean up. The Kingston community is supplying the person-power and several local businesses are donating equipment and staff time to accomplish the work.
A clean up kickoff work party is scheduled for Saturday, May 2 from 9 a.m. to noon or 2 p.m. depending on how much work is accomplished. Volunteers will meet at the site off West Kingston Road next to the community tennis courts.
Moore said as many volunteers as possible are needed for: Cleanup of incidental debris, preparation of playground area for chips, clean playground equipment, prepare and paint swing set frame, inspect and repair playground equipment, clean out ditch along sidewalk and prune the trees that won’t be removed.
Some professional contractors will be available to help by cutting up the asphalt aprons that will be removed later in May.
All volunteers will need to sign a county liability release form, which Moore will have available on Saturday. The Community Center/Village Green Foundation will provide a lunch for all volunteers.
“This is the first step in prepping the site for use by the community,” Moore wrote in an e-mail. “If all goes well, we should be able to use the site this summer.”
Additional work parties are tentatively planned for May 16 and Memorial Day weekend.
