Park board plans youth golf program

The city of Nevada and Wal-Mart are going to work together to increase the number of youth in the area who play golf.

"That is the future of the golf course. We need to attract those younger golfers," Carol Branham, Nevada Parks and Recreation director, told the Nevada Parks Board, during a regular meeting Wednesday evening.

The city already has limited programs for youth golfers, however, it has not been strong for several years, she said.

Branham said that they are looking to construct a facility on the north side of the golf course, possibly in the area of the existing driving range.

Wal-Mart employees are interested in the concept and in helping to raise funds for this project, she told the board.

"Dan's very excited about this. He sees a potential for growing the program through this," Branham said.

Dan Davis is the manager of the municipal golf course, as well as coach for the Nevada High School boys' golf team.

Branham said that one potential difficulty is transportation to the course for an after-school program, however, she said that they are considering trying to work with the R-5 School District on solving the transportation issue.

In other business the board:

* Voted to allow Wal-Mart to hold a Snowball Softball Tournament on Feb. 28 or 29 as a fund-raiser for the junior golf project. The goal for this coed tournament is to have 10 to 16 teams in the tournament. The $100 entry fee will be used with Wal-Mart matching grant program to provide the start-up funds for the program.

* Branham told the board that the ShowMe ChalleNGe is being reconstituted as the Show Me Academy and they can expect to hear more about the new program in the near future.

* Voted to support Main Street Nevada's project to install historic street lights on east Cherry Street. The cost of the program would be covered by a Neighborhood Assistance Program that will let local businesses and individuals receive a Missouri State tax credit of up to 70 percent of the amount they donate to this project. "It's a great program that benefits the entire community," Mike Turnbull, parks board chairman said about the tax credits.

* Voted to send a positive recommendation to the Nevada City Council to waive the prohibition of shooting firearms inside the city limits so the Missouri Osage Territory Muzzleloaders in cooperation with the Nevada Parks and Recreation department, can hold their annual black powder shoot and outdoor classroom on Sept. 24 - 26 at Marmaduke Park.

* Voted to approve the park department working with Challenger Sports, Lenexa, Kan., to offer a British Soccer camp in Nevada this summer. The camp would be taught by professional soccer players with the cost of the camp covered by the participant's fees.

* Heard an update from Kay Kuhlmann on the Lincoln School restoration and interpretive plan. Kuhlmann said that the group working on this project are a subcommittee of the Vernon County Diversity Committee. To increase interest and knowledge of the school, they are currently holding a contest to encourage people to come up with interpretations of the Lincoln School. She said an interpretation could be something like a play about the school, a portrait and a story about an African American person, or something else relating to what the school was like. The contest has categories for middle school, high school and adult entries. Kuhlmann said they will have the projects on display in March.