by Carrie Moritz, Gazette
Last week, a project that has been in the works for over a year started its final journey to fruition. Park benches are being installed all over town, and both Grow Garretson and the Garretson Parks Advisory Committee are happy to see the final results.
Parks Maintenance Supervisor Randy Megard works to install brackets, adhering the bench to the cement pad below. “It’s been one heck of a project,” he said.
During the winter season of 2019, GPAC member Kelli Schleuter proposed an idea to place a few more park benches in Split Rock Park. Since the advisory committee is a group of industrious volunteers overseen by the City of Garretson and is mostly geared towards advising the City on how to keep the parks at their best, they decided their best route was to partner with Grow Garretson. Grow Garretson offers its organizational capabilities to those who are looking for ways to improve the town as a whole. The partnership had already been tested with the Movies in the Park event held the summer of 2018 and was successful.
The bench effort was done in two phases; the first effort was completed in May, and the second effort was completed in late November of 2019. In all, twenty-eight benches were ordered.
A bench dedication ceremony was held in conjunction with the American Legion Post #23 100th Anniversary celebration on July 4, after the first batch of benches had been received. It was hoped that they could be placed before the end of the summer, but between the weather, delays in contractor schedules, and city employee schedules it was put on hold until this spring.
“After getting through crazy weather and now a perfect spring, the park benches are starting to be placed, so please sit in them and enjoy,” wrote Schleuter in a Facebook post.
While not all benches were placed as of press time, work was ongoing to ensure over half of them were finished. Some are still awaiting their cement pads, and others are waiting for the completion of the streets project. Ten benches were planned for Split Rock Park, four for Devil’s Gulch, five at the ball fields (four at the softball fields and playground, one at the baseball field), one at River Ridge Golf Course, and eight will be placed downtown.
“This has been such a journey,” said Grow Garretson and GPAC member Carrie Moritz. “I cannot express how happy I am to see this project finally coming to full fruition.”
A full list of sponsors and bench placements can be found at scribblemaps.com/ /maps/view/Garretson/Bench.
The current project that Grow Garretson is working with GPAC on is the new picnic shelter planned for Split Rock Park by the playground, and are in the process of seeking more funding. Grow Garretson is also providing financial assistance to those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. To learn more about what Grow Garretson is up to, visit GrowGarretson.com.
