The Mount Vernon City Council has moved forward with plans to seek bids for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) projects aimed at enhancing Riverside Park and West Sugar Street. The decision was made during a council meeting on November 24.
According to a meeting video, City Engineer Brian Ball outlined the proposed improvements, which include the addition of six pickleball courts at the end of Walnut Street. The existing pickleball facility will be converted into a basketball court. Ball noted that federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding requirements prevent any work from being conducted in the floodway, so the project will be situated within the floodplain instead.
Ball also discussed another CDBG project focusing on street and stormwater improvements on West Sugar Street. Plans involve narrowing the roadway to 11-foot lanes, reclaiming tree lawns, enhancing drainage, and making significant sidewalk improvements. This initiative is neighborhood-driven; city officials met with residents to identify issues such as substantial sidewalk damage and ponding areas that hinder ADA access.
Through a series of public meetings, solutions were developed to address these concerns. Ball said that the uneven road width will be corrected, curb and gutter systems will be installed for defined borders between street, sidewalk, and parking areas. Additionally, four blocks of brick streets have been identified in a qualifying income block for utility replacement. According to auditor records cited by Ball, the last major investment in this area occurred in 1929.
Ball explained that bricks will be removed temporarily while city utilities are replaced and then reset after concrete is laid for stability. Contractors bidding on the project will have options regarding sandstone curbs—either resetting them or leaving them undisturbed. The city aims to award the bid by January with an expected completion date by August 2026.
