(Okoboji)– Planning and fundraising continues for a new playscape area at the Dickinson County Nature Center. Amy Heibult, Community Relations Coordinator for the Dickinson County Conservation Board, says they’ve been working with a consultant to help design features for the attraction…
“The company decided that we need like a sand digging area with like a water spillway. There’s going to be a swing garden with large basket swings; a large log climbing mesh, just like a huge jumbo with all these logs and ropes and balancing opportunities. There’s going to be a climber platform with a hammock in the middle and a bridge on both sides: one that’s land and then a net bridge on the other side. There’s going to be little hideaway nooks and timber houses, native vegetation will also be planted amongst all these areas creating like these outdoor rooms. We’ll also have a boardwalk that is expanded into like our wetland area with a lookout so people can kind of get a closer look at some of our wetland wildlife. There’s going to be a musical cove and a large concrete slide. It’s going to be amazing and we’re really looking forward to bringing this to the community.”
Heibult says depending upon fundraising, construction could start a year from now…
“Once we break ground the process is only going to take a couple months, so it’s a huge, it’s a fast turnover once construction begins and the public will be able to utilize this space relatively soon after construction begins.”
The project has a total cost of about $2.2 million. Heibult says they have about $400,000 of that raised so far. Contributions can be made to the Conservation Foundation of Dickinson County, a 501(c) 3 organization. Heibult adds a giving wall will be installed on the land bridge recognizing those who contributed $1,000 or more toward the project.
