Flood damage estimated at more than $250,000

Cleanup of the popular Riverside Park is underway and volunteers — organizations, businesses, individuals — are needed to give of time, labor and equipment in the endeavor.

City crews are taking care of necessary and some volunteers have been working at various chores every day since the water receded.

The work started in earnest Monday, July 16, 

Anyone willing and able is encouraged to help with cleanup.  The first step is to check in at the Springfield Area Community Center and signup.   Daily signups will begin at 8:30 a.m. with work scheduled to get underway at 9:00 and continue until 3:00 Monday through Friday until the park and campground becomes usable again. 

Springfield Emergency Management Team is envisioning that cleanup will take about three weeks.

Best estimate is that flood damages in Riverside Park — including the campground,  children’s playgrounds, softball, baseball and football fields, tennis courts and hiking and biking trail is estimated at $250,000 and includes landscaping, asphalt approaches into the campground destroyed, damage to playground equipment, park shelters, storage sheds, chain link fencing, etc. concessions stands including the equipment inside.    Floodwater still stands within the municipal swimming pool, and is waiting for assessment.

With a high level of ground water beneath the pool, it must not be emptied, because hydrostatic pressure may cause the pool to float or pop out of the ground and cause damage to the shell and surrounding components.

All volunteers are required to sign in each day / time they are working. All sign-in will take place each day a 8:30 a.m. in the Springfield Area Community Center with a city worker wearing a fluorescent yellow shirt.  Those arriving in cars are asked to park their cars in the parking lot at the Community Center and walk to the park for work.  When you sign in you will be notified in what areas you will be working that day.

All volunteers must be 15 years old or older and are asked to wear bright colored shirts  shoes with closed toes  — no sandals, for safety sake; and to bring work gloves, rakes and shovels.   The City will provide latex gloves and all workers are asked to wear the latex gloves even though they also have heavier hand protection. 

Jobs that will be done are picking up sticks, removing garbage from fences, raking grass, shoveling gavel, etc.

 There always will be one or two city officials on site.

The City will provide refreshments each day for all workers/volunteers. “We want to keep everyone hydrated,” said Rick Almich, city manager.  Anyone wishing to donate cases of water, please contact Jill at the Community Center.

The road into Riverside Park is open. All residents/visitors of Springfield should refrain from driving into the park as much as possible, especially when cleanup efforts are taking place.

Please stay out of the park areas and campground; they are closed until further notice.

The City plans to provide daily updates on Facebook regarding the progress being made on the cleanup.