The much anticipated Prairie Creek Park Project is now a reality after the Frankfort City Council voted 6-1 on both an ordinance to secure bonds and a resolution amending an economic development area and plan Monday night.
“This has been a four-year process coming out of the downtown revitalization plan,” said Frankfort Mayor Chris McBarnes. “It’s very surreal at this point and time, but Prairie Creek Park will be built in downtown Frankfort. I want to thank the many, many donors, our city council, the downtown building owners and citizens from across the community for being involved in this process.”
The city was able to secure at least $663,500 for this project from donations given by the Clinton County Community Foundation ($250,000), The Farmers Bank ($150,000), NHK ($150,000), Encompass Credit Union ($100,000), John Wampler ($10,000) and Todd Corrie ($3,500). McBarnes added that Bill Miller of Goodwin Funeral Home and his wife Sonya donated an undisclosed amount towards the project.
“This park and the development in the downtown will take our city to the next level,” said McBarnes. “This will show people what we can really become and finally get us out of the past and move us into the future. That is what this all symbolizes.”
McBarnes said they are working now on the design documents and hope to be able to break ground this fall with a completion date of the Hot Dog Festival in 2019.
In other news, McBarnes said he is getting frustrated with the Indiana Department of Transportation regarding the State Road 28 project that is slated for next year.
“This is a major project coming up in the our city in 2019 and I want to make sure it gets done the right way,” said McBarnes.
McBarnes added one of the major stumbling blocks in the $20 million project is the jog at Hoke and Walnut Streets. INDOT says there is not enough money to fix the jog.