By Joyce Moed
Special correspondent

October 20, 2006

Work may be done in the next month or so on a $199,930 project at Veterans Park, filling a need for recreational opportunities in the Hollywood Hills community.

City commissioners this summer approved a deal with Contract Connection Inc. to develop the park, at Tyler Street and 48th Avenue.

"It is really going to be a great park when it's done," said Jack Mathison, assistant director of the city's parks department. "It's going to be pretty cool."

The equipment being purchased includes a picnic shelter with a metal roof, playground structures and shade coverings.

"We also bought trash cans, benches and tables," Mathison said. "We bought playground surfacing and installation and delivery for everything."

The site was purchased by the county using money from the Safe Parks and Preservation Bond approved by voters in 2000 and turned over to the city.

"We were looking at the parks in the city and looking to see which area was short," Mathison said. "The Hollywood Hills area was short on parks, and this [site] was available."

Residents also are active in the park effort.

"The local civic association got Broward Beautiful grants for some flowering trees," Mathison said. "It's going to be a pretty neat park when it's all done."

Other features planned for the park include a walking path, a water feature and asphalt for playing hopscotch.

"The water feature is sort of like a fountain, with a concrete pad with a palm tree stuck in the middle of it," he said. "Water comes out of the palm tree. Kids hit the button and water also comes out of the ground and the kids can play in it. It will be our first water feature installed in the city. We want to see how this one goes, then we have a few others in the works planned."