The Hampshire Village Board this week discussed the possibility of a lightning prediction system that would provide lightning alerts for Ralph Seyller Memorial Park, Bruce Ream Memorial Park and Orris Ruth Community Park.
“These three parks in town host major sporting and community events,” said Laura Schraw, executive director of Hampshire Township Park District. “Safety of our program participants is a top concern for the park district and the Park District Risk Management Agency. We believe a lightning prediction system is an important improvement to the park facilities as hundreds of families use our parks for soccer, T-ball, flag football and larger events such as the annual Hampshire Coon Creek Country Days.”
Schraw said the THOR GUARD lightning prediction system equipment would cost less than $20,000.
She said the system has a horn that emits a sound to warn when the park should be cleared. It also has a slow strobe light that continues to flash while the warning is in place. It emits an “all clear” sound when the threat of lighting has passed.
“All three parks could be serviced off one home unit at Seyller Park that would send warning alerts to the other two parks on a remote sensor,” Schraw said.
Hampshire Trustee Toby Koth, who heads the village committee on fields and trails, said he once watched the system in action when he was coaching a youth baseball team in Pingree Grove.
“It works great,” Koth said. “I think it’s a good idea to bring the system to Hampshire.”
The district board of commissioners will submit a formal request for the release of village impact fees to pay for the system. The system is expected to be installed in 2016.
“The cost estimate of approximately $19,000 for all three parks does not include installation,” Schraw said. “However, the equipment representative did say that it could be installed in-house.”
Denise Moran is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.