Park district buys five acres at Zearing Park

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PRINCETON — The Princeton Park Board has bought five acres on the east edge of Zearing Park.

The board approved the purchase following a closed session meeting Monday night at the Bureau County Metro Center. The cost of the property, located at 626 Thompson St., is $165,000.

Executive Director Diane McCray said the money for the purchase will be handled through the sale of bonds or installment contract.

The five acres is a 160-foot wide strip of property, running 1,324 feet north to south, on the current east boundary of Zearing Park. The property, which  includes a vacant house, garage and barn, has been used for farming. The barn is in the process of being torn down, McCray said.

The Princeton Park Board has no immediate plans for the new property, but considerations could include a Thompson Street entrance into Zearing Park or additional parking, McCray said.

“This is a great opportunity for future expansion at Zearing Park,” McCray said. “It opens up all kinds of ideas and possibilities.”

The park board expects to close on the Thompson Street property on or before March 1, 2008. The park board also bought 40 acres adjacent on the south edge of Zearing Park in September 2006 for future expansion projects.

Also following Monday’s closed session, the board named Elaine Russell as interim director of the park district. Russell currently serves as business manager for the Metro Center.

Russell, who has been with the Metro Center since 1994, will assume her new duties upon the Dec. 18 resignation of McCray. McCray, who has been with the Princeton Park District since February 2006, is leaving to return to her home area to care for her mother.

The park board will advertise for a new executive director through the Illinois Park and Recreation Association and the Illinois Association of Park Districts. Application procedures will be available next week on the park district’s Web site.

McCray said the park board has set a Feb. 15, 2008, deadline to receive director applications. The board will review the applications Feb. 18-29 and schedule candidate interviews in March. The board hopes to announce the name of the new director in April, with employment to begin May 1, 2008.

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