SIDNEY, NE — The Sidney Park Project is well underway. Members of the group presented two designs of upgrades they hope to make to the town’s Legion Park to Sidney’s city council. The plans come from Landscape Structures and Crouch Recreation - two companies the town is familiar with.

“Tom [Von Seggern] (Sidney Parks Superintendent) has worked with both of these companies before. We have equipment from both companies so we feel that they’re good companies with equipment that should last and be well used and still hold up,” Sidney Park Project member Ally Benzel said.

Their biggest goal? Make the park more accessible for children of all ages and ability levels. Both designs add more challenging equipment for older kids and would remove the gravel surface to make it safer and easier to get around. It’s something they believe can benefit more than just the Sidney community.

“The reason we feel like our community can really push toward this is because there is nothing in western Nebraska that is an accessible park like this," Benzel said. "We feel if we can get something like this, it would benefit the whole region.”

Benzel and fellow project member Madi Wilkinson told the city council they hope to begin fundraising in Spring of 2021 with construction to follow a year later. No taxpayer dollars will be used. All funds will come from private donations and grants.

Sidney’s officials say they’re pleased with the  progress made on the project.

“I just want to say I’m impressed with the amount of work you’ve done and the leg work you’ve put in, how organized you are and the initiative you’ve shown in getting this far along in the project at this point,” city councilman Joe Arterburn said.

Wilkinson and Benzel say the more expensive of the designs came with a quote of about $700,000. They hope to raise at least $750,000 in case any unexpected costs arise.

Watch the video above to see rendering of the two designs. Wilkinson and Benzel said the designs could change based on feedback received and other factors such as cost.