There soon will be more parking spaces for those going to take a dip at Burgess Memorial Pool or watch a football game at Centennial Park.

The Town is beginning work to add 38 parking spaces on South Street for use by park patrons.

Drivers for years have parked along the north side of South Street or in a dirt area on the south side of the street. Parking there has tended to be haphazard because there are no defined spaces.

Though no safety problems exist, the Town wishes to provide additional parking as a convenience for Centennial Park users.

Public Works staff soon will "pave" the dirt area on the south side of the street with asphalt millings recycled from previous Street Improvement Program projects and spray the surface with a bonding material to hold the millings together. Stripes then will be painted on the millings to create 18 angled parking spaces. Striping also will be added to the north side of South Street to define 20 parallel parking spaces.

The Town's Street Improvement Program contractor will construct a concrete median on South Street midway through the new parking area to provide a marked pedestrian crossing. Curb ramps also will be installed.

The project is expected to be completed in mid-June and to cost $11,750, which will be split between the Public Works and Parks departments.