(Spirit Lake)– Representatives of the Bluewater Garden Club and East Okoboji Lakes Improvement Corporation were at Tuesday’s Spirit Lake city council meeting requesting financial and labor assistance on a project that would stabilize the bank at the dead end of 11th Street at East Lake Okoboji.
There’s concern the bank, and others like it at the end of other dead-end streets in Spirit Lake, could be slowly eroding into East Lake Okoboji.
Jackie Olson of the Blue Water Garden Club told the council the project proposed for the dead-end of 11th Street consists of two components: a rain garden with an estimated cost of 1,800-dollars, and erosion control consisting of compost socks, removal of underbrush, seeding of barron areas and shoreline stabilization with an estimated cost of 4,800-dollars. Olson told the council the East Okoboji Lakes Improvement Corporation will contribute 2,500-dollars toward the project. She says the garden club is considering a donation, but hasn’t voted on it yet. The city is being requested to pay for the remainder, along with providing some manpower. It would also be responsible for ongoing maintenance in the future. That drew concern from several council members. After further discussion, the council voted unanimously to table the matter, referring it to the city’s Betterment Committee for a recommendation.
Olson says the rain garden would serve as a model for the entire lakes area.
If they get city approval, Olson says work would start May 1st, weather permitting, with completion slated for this coming October 1st.
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