Zearing expansion work is about 40 percent complete

PRINCETON — About 40 percent of the earthwork is completed for the Zearing Park expansion project on the southeast edge of Princeton.

At Monday’s meeting of the Princeton Park Board, engineer Kevin Heitz gave an update on the Zearing project, which includes the establishment of eight new soccer/athletic fields, a pond, fishing dock and new concession stand/ restroom building. The pond, which is the result of the earthwork, is also about 40 percent dug. Work on the dock should begin soon.

Heitz also reported on some unexpected field tile work which will need to be done along the west side of the expansion site. About 800 feet of old clay tile will need to be replaced. Heitz expects to come back to the board with cost estimates for the tile work at the board’s next meeting.

In other business, Tammy Lange, business manager for the park district, reported on the new thumbprint identification system which will replace the need for membership cards at the Bureau County Metro Center.

The implementation date for the new system has been announced as Aug. 3. Membership card holders are encouraged to come into the Metro Center before that time to have their thumbprint scanned and photo taken.

The scan isn’t actually of the entire thumb, but of five points on the print which characterize that print, Lange said.

The new identification system was purchased through the Lord and Murphy Co. Representatives have already been to the Metro Center twice to work with the staff on codes and other implementation needs. Lord and Murphy personnel will be back again this week to work on training Metro Center staff on the use of the new system.

As presented in May to the park board, Elaine Russel, executive director for the park board, has said the new system will do a better job of monitoring membership use and give staff additional information on members as they check into the Metro Center, such as payment needs or if messages are needed to be relayed to that member. The system will also provide efficient tracking of classes, as well as a wide range of other information, Russell said.

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