FAIRMONT — City parks and trails did not escape damage from the Sept. 20 storm that swept through the area.

In addition to numerous broken branches, about 30 trees were lost, with a couple in each park and along the trails, Nick Lardy, park and street departments supervisor, told the Fairmont Park Board earlier this week.

Damage at Cedar Creek Park has yet to be evaluated due to the park’s size and its density of trees. Fortunately, none of the buildings or shelter houses in the parks sustained any damage.

Following the storm, the city opened two temporary tree dumps in parking lots next to the aquatic park and at the north entrance of the Winnebago Avenue Sports Complex. A contractor has been hired to grind the piles plant debris at these sites and haul out the resulting wood chips. The clean-up should be completed in a month.

Lardy also reported that crews began closing up the parks this week, shutting off water at all sites, including the dog park and fish-cleaning station. All rental shelters, except at Cedar Creek Park, are closed for the season, and the kayak station also is closed. This week, city crews will start the process of pulling the docks off the lakes.

Mowing consumed a major portion of man-hours during the summer. Half of the 10 park department employees were needed to handle mowing in the city parks, with the soccer fields sometimes requiring three mowings per week to maintain a good playing surface. Lardy noted that there were only three days all summer when nobody was mowing.

Turning to other business, the board received an update on the Veterans Park tennis court and pickleball upgrades. Difficulty in hiring a contractor this year pushed the project into 2019. Plans are to convert one of the tennis courts into a pickleball court and reseal the basketball court. Money budgeted for the projects this year will roll over to next year.

Troy Nemmers, city engineer/public works director, reported he has been working with the designer for the accessible Adventure Playground planned for next spring at Gomsrud Park. After the design is completed to incorporate the existing parking lot and shelter house, he will bring the plans back to the board next month for final recommendation to send to the City Council for approval. The project also will include upgrades to the parking lot and paths for access to the play area.