DIETERICH —
Volunteers from multiple generations in Dieterich are coming together to build a tiny park designed to cater to young families in the North Pointe subdivision.
Village trustee Gary Horn was among a number of volunteers on hand Saturday to dig postholes for playground equipment at the new park, located just west of the Dieterich-Montrose blacktop on the north end of town.
Horn said the park will be a good fit for the community.
“A lot of young couples are moving into town,” he said. “There’s more than 40 school-age kids and younger in the (North Pointe) subdivision. When this is done, they won’t have to cross the highway (Illinois 33) to play at a park.”
The village’s only other park is adjacent to the Dieterich school complex south of Illinois 33. To get there from North Pointe, kids have to navigate sometimes treacherous traffic at the four-way stop just north of downtown.
Horn was pleased to have help Saturday from a half dozen high school basketball players fulfilling the community service requirement that all students need to graduate from high school.
“They’re taking an interest in the community,” he said. “This also gives them a little experience.”
Equipment for Saturday’s work was donated by K & A Construction and John Lewis Construction, Village Clerk Brittny Gipson said.
Gipson said the park was being partially financed by a $62,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Costs are being defrayed by volunteer labor.
The one-acre park will include a pavilion and playground equipment. Gipson said the village was able to receive the grant because of the current park situation in Dieterich.
Gipson said one bonus is that Boy Scout Adam Warfel is developing the park’s landscaping as his Eagle Scout project. She added that the volunteer effort has been particularly gratifying.
“Everyone has turned out and supported this much more than I expected,” she said.
Gipson said she expects the park to be completed next spring.
Local News
Related Photos
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Cousins Jake, left, and Alex Bohnhoff help dig out postholes for playground equipment at the new North Pointe Park in Dieterich. The boys were among several Dieterich High School basketball players working on an unseasonably warm Saturday to fulfill their community service requirement. Bill Grimes
Discussion
November 12, 2012
Volunteers build park in Dieterich
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