The Depot Museum is closed for now and programs at the Mulberry Center Church have been canceled for this summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But that doesn’t mean all activity has stopped at the Wilson Brewer Park.
Crews are busy installing an 8-foot-walkway throughout the park, which winds its way past all the historical buildings and around the Illinois Central caboose on the west side of the Depot.
“Everything seems to be running on schedule with the work,” said Larry Flaws, director of Recreation and Public Grounds for the city. “The weather has been helpful and has allowed us to make good progress.”
Habhab Construction was awarded the contract for the walkway.
In the coming years, Flaws said the trail through the park will eventually link up with the Boone River Trail.
In addition to the walkway, additional parking is being added on the northside of the park. Castor Construction of Fort Dodge is handing the parking addition. Sixteen benches will be placed along the park trail for walkers to rest or just sit and enjoy the view, Flaws said.
The project is also improving the grade of the park grounds next to the historic buildings, eliminating some of the stairs previously needed to enter the buildings.
The improvements are part of a long-term plan for the park. Previous updates have included the restoration of two log cabins on the grounds. The cabins were dismantled, and the logs were taken to a warehouse where they were refurbished. Later, the cabins were moved to higher ground and reassembled on a foundation.
An Illinois Central caboose was purchased in 2019, with the help of four local donors. The caboose arrived earlier this spring and was placed on a section of track next to the depot.
View this article as it originally appeared in the Daily Freeman-Journal.
Last modified: June 11, 2020