(Spirit Lake)– Meeting in special session this (Fri.) afternoon, the Spirit Lake City Council voted unanimously to adopt a resolution pertaining to some extensive improvements planned for the little league fields. City Attorney/Administrator Gregg Owens says the city is serving as a conduit with the school district, which is spearheading the project, and is applying for a $75,000 grant through the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Owens says that’s in addition to a one million dollar pledge for the project by Imagine Iowa Great Lakes…

“It’s the first step in improvements because of the vision of the Spirit Lake School Board and the City Council last year. That city-school partnership is starting to pay big dividends in that area. So something the community I think when they hear more about it is going to be very excited about.”

Owens went on to express gratitude to Imagine Iowa Great Lakes on behalf of the city of Spirit Lake…

“On behalf of the Spirit Lake City Council I want to express publicly the thanks of the city of Spirit Lake to that group for being interested in pursuing projects that respond to needs in the community. And so the people involved on that board, and Michelle Goodenow and especially the efforts of Beck Engineering right now in spearheading some of these projects has just been amazing and the focus of that board and the direction it’s going in our area is something all of our citizens should be very excited about.”

Spirit Lake Schools Superintendent Dr. Dave Smith outlined some of the plans for the site…

“Well I think the Imagine group is known for trails for one thing and we’re definitely going to have a nice trail or path, kind of a beautification project will be included in it, lots of different park improvements; baci ball, shuffleboard, pickleball, playground, little pocket parks, sculptures, lighting, stuff like that. The exciting thing about that is, we talk about sculptures, and art work, our J-term classes have already made a couple of sculptures that will be infused in this project. I think that is probably going to be a demand for our students to be doing more projects to be included in the project and we’re hoping that there’s lots of educational opportunities with that part and beautification that we can infuse in school curriculum. So it’s pretty exciting to say the least that there’s the Imagine group, the city, the school, that have a place that’s going to be a beautiful area that’s going to have lots of amenities, not just for our school students but our entire community.”

Dr. Smith says the entire project will take a couple of years to complete…

“We hope to do a lot of private funding with facility upgrades and improvements to our ball diamonds which I think is past due and so a combination a couple years down the road we’re going to have one heck of a beautiful little place for our community to enjoy.”

Dr. Smith also expressed the school district’s gratitude to Imagine Iowa Great Lakes for helping make the project possible…

“Just think of all the things they’ve already done for our community and for the park and all of the other improvements that everybody knows about. This is just another chapter to their legacy of what their trying to do for our area. We’re so excited. We couldn’t be happier and appreciate them more than anything and the great work of Michelle Goodenow and John Franken and Beck Engineering with all of their design and all of their leadership with this group, it’s been absolutely fantastic.”

Dr. Smith added that some of the beautification and trails work will be getting underway this spring once weather allows.

https://www.exploreokoboji.com/news/news-stories/plans-are-moving-forward-for-extensive-improvements-to-the-area-of-the-little-league-fields-in-spirit-lake/