(Okoboji)– A new playscape area is being planned for the area just west of the Dickinson County Nature Center. Lee Sorenson, Director of the Dickinson County Conservation Board, tells KUOO news they’ve contracted with a Canadian firm with expertise in that area to design the new playscape…
“We’re still in the plans. They’re close to being finished. We’re hoping by the end of February here we’ll have a final design plan that we’ll put out to the public.”
Sorenson says the design puts an emphasis on natural materials and surroundings…
“From the one we have currently it’s going to be a hundred times better. There’s swings, a lot of natural swings. There’s some log areas for adventure in climbing; a dig pit for sand. And then there will be like hideaways where they can go through and hide in a grove of trees or cover. We talk about some of these trees or shrubs, the kids won’t be able to see out but the trees are high enough that the adults can actually see their feet so the kids actually think they’re hiding but they’re really not because we can still see ’em.”
The project has a total estimated cost of a little more than $2.2 million…
“We’ve got about $400,000 committed already. We’re hoping we can bring that estimate down to about $1.8 million with in-kind services from our staff and the local community volunteering some services to us.”
If things go accordingly, Sorenson says work on the project could get underway late this summer or early fall…
“If everything goes right we’re looking at starting in September and having it completed by November. Depending on how that funding comes in it might not be until next spring but we’d love to get our plantings and stuff in this fall yet.”
Sorenson adds the new playscape will be slightly larger than the current one…
“It will be enlarged a little bit because we’re incorporating the wetland a little bit and a little bit further north, so the size will actually grow but it’s going to be encompassing a lot more play area, natural play area.”
Sorenson says a specially designed entry in the playscape area is also included, along with a tall grass prairie and a boardwalk, depending on how fundraising goes.
