At the May 23 Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) Board Meeting, Directors approved a motion to provide $150,000 in financial support for the City of Wayne Prairie Park Project.
The funds will be distributed in $50,000 increments over a three-year period. Jill Brodersen, Wayne City Council President, and Jason Karsky, Wayne City Council member, were present to answer questions directors may have about the project.
Brodersen and Karsky explained that the funds are needed for a bathhouse/bathroom for the project. Currently, the only bathrooms available in the park are located near the ballfields and not accessible 24/7 or ADA compliant.
The Prairie Park project is a Community Redevelopment project that allowed the City to decommission an old sewage lagoon and turn it into a recreational area with the possibility of the addition of workforce housing in the future. Once completed, the park will not only be the largest recreational area in City history, but also the largest public recreational facility in Wayne County. The project is approximately 40% completed and will include a lake feature and camper pads as well as native prairie grasses and numerous trees.
Along with approving the financial support, Directors also approved entering a Memorandum of Understanding with the City. The memorandum will contain the terms and payment schedule and will state that the City is responsible for the ownership and upkeep of the park.
