The dugout at Northeast Park was completely destroyed during the March 31 tornado through Kewanee. The damage to both Baker and Northeast parks was extensive. [Submitted Photo]
Initial estimates for the damage done to Kewanee parks when a tornado rampaged through the northwest corner of town are out the window, according to the executive director of Kewanee Parks.
Andrew Dwyer had initially estimated that the damage to the two area parks, Northeast and Baker, could cost somewhere around $150,000 to $200,000, but the dollar figure for the March storm will exceed that, he said.
At Baker, 150 to 200 trees were lost, and the cost of cleaning up the limbs and debris comes with a hefty price tag. At a special park board meeting two weeks ago, the park board voted to hire two area companies, Lamco and Blue Jay, to cut and clear away downed trees and limbs. Dwyer said two crews of four workers have been working eight-hours a day for weeks. The cost is $475/per hour for each crew.
“All the equipment is included to get the job done,” said Dwyer, adding that the park district is required to pay prevailing wage.
The executive director broke the clean up into four areas or stages. The first phase focused on clearing away the debris and making the common areas safe for visitors and employees. That phase included clearing the debris of the dugout at Northeast, which was completely destroyed during the storm. The second area of concern was clearing out the drives, such as Pleasure Drive at Baker Park and walking paths at Northeast. Area three included clearing downed trees, branches from the golf course and other walking paths at Baker. The fourth area of concern will be to address the hollows at Baker and the less frequented areas of Baker Park.
“We are currently in phase three,” said Dwyer.
Both Baker Park and Northeast Park have been reopened for business. Dwyer said both parks are safe for activities to resume. Pleasure Drive is currently open to traffic and an event is scheduled for the weekend.
“We’re meeting with the contractor tomorrow to start assessing the damage for insurance purposes,” he said.
There will most likely be claims made for debris clean up, new roofing for the maintenance building and replacements for the patio furniture that was tossed around during the storm.
The trees lost aren’t covered by the Park District’s insurance policy, but everything else should be, he said. A “Trees Forever Grant,” which was received last year, could prove helpful in replacing some of the downed trees, however. Dwyer said the trees purchased through the grant are set to be planted May 20, but some of those locations could be changed to areas affected by the storm.
The park damage won’t stop the spring and summer programs. For the most part, things are back to normal in the parks, and the park district crew has turned their attention to the swimming pool.
“We are ready to go,” said Dwyer. “We understand where we are and where we have to be and we’re positioned really well.”
