JOSH DAVIS/BAYSIDE GAZETTE
Members of the Berlin Parks Commission last Tuesday review a 2019 schedule of events.

By Josh Davis, Associate Editor

(Sept. 20, 2018) In firming up its 2019 events schedule, the Berlin Parks Commission last week discussed ways to improve dwindling attendance during the annual Clean-Up Day celebration.

“This coming year will be kind of a test, because we did not get great turnout last year,” Administrative Services Director Mary Bohlen said. “Who knows what that formula is.”

Commission member Patricia Dufendach suggested bringing back the tree giveaways held during past Clean-Up Day events, to tie in with Arbor Day, scheduled April 26, 2019. Clean-Up Day was scheduled for April 13 next year.

“We can certainly try and do that again,” Bohlen said. “The problem is that you hate to get a quantity without knowing [the demand]. But, if we don’t give them away, we could always give them away at Spring Celebration.

“That definitely was well received when we did it years ago,” she continued. “Maybe we can incorporate a tree giveaway with Clean-Up Day and go from there. That’s a good idea.”

Other scheduled Town of Berlin events in 2019 that include parks commission participation are Take Pride in Berlin Week, April 13-20, Spring Celebration, April 20, Spring Just Walk, May 4, National Night Out, Aug. 6, and Fall Just Walk, set for Nov. 2.

Movies in the park were scheduled on June 29, July 13 and July 27.

Also during the meeting, Bohlen said tennis court renovations at Stephen Decatur Park had not yet finished, because of poor weather conditions.

“There’s an initial application of surfacing that has to cure for 48 hours,” Bohlen said. “Until [the contractor] knows that they’re going to have two dry days, they can’t do that.”

The next parks commission meeting is scheduled Oct. 2 at 5:30 p.m. in Town Hall.