(Spirit Lake)– A ground breaking ceremony was held today (Thurs.) on the first phase of the Aspen Seemann Memorial Park being constructed just south of the Spirit Lake Little League fields, off of Erie Avenue. Mike Cedar of Beck Engineering says this particular phase consists largely of a new playground…
“All inclusive, a mixture of play elements. Some are supplied from Germany as well as some American suppliers; a mixture of play elements, they provide a wide range of experiences for ages, young ages to older or challenging elements as well. It’s a great mixture of textures on the ground playing as well as very unique play elements that will really excite kids and I think will become a regional draw.”
This phase of the project, planned for completion this fall, is being made possible through a $4 million grant through the Dorothy B. Davis Foundation. Curt Petersen of the Spirit Lake Noon Kiwanis Club says that organization is serving as a conduit for the funds…
“So the Seemann family came to us and asked if they could use the Kiwanis club as the supporting system for the funds and we said yes and there’s so many people. We live in a great community. The school’s involved, the city’s involved, we’ve got Beck Engineering, everybody’s come together. It’s been a great story and it’s a great place to live in the lakes area and Spirit Lake.”
In exchange for it’s role in the project, Petersen says the Kiwanis club was gifted some land in the Berkley Heights Area which they, in turn, plan to sell…
“That will be exchanged when it’s done and we’ll be able to sell that land. It’s going to help a lot of kids, I mean it’s probably thousands of kids in the area, and that’s what Kiwanis is all about: serving one child and one community at a time.”
Brad Beck of Beck Engineering says they are in the process of raising funds for the second phase of the project…
“If we can get all those put together we’re planning on phase two to be constructed, possibly to start this fall, maybe more likely the spring of ’24. The big part of that phase would be a concession/storage/restroom building along with a connected shade structure just to the north of the new playground. That’s our first priority. And then also some amenities just to the southeast of the large playground, some recreational opportunities as well that will kind of tie the entire park together and finish everything off.”
The entire complex, upon completion, will be known as the Spirit Lake Community Park with the athletic fields to the south being named the Brown Family Athletic Complex with Aspen Seemann Memorial Park on the north side.
