Our Recent Projects
The adventure has just begun. We are developing a master plan, gathering funds, and doing small projects at the park with volunteers while planning events to let the community start enjoying the park. Here's a few of the highlights.
Mid-American Energy Helps Osprey
Back in mid-April, it was determined another pair of Osprey were making a nest at the park, only it was on an 3 phase electric pole with a high risk of getting electrcuted. Mid-American Energy partnered with us to construct a similar pole nearby in which they successfully built a new nest safe and sound.
We were excited to hear the story made an internal publication of Mid-American Energy and would love to share the story with you. To see the article, please visit the news story page.
Tools From Grant Money
Colfax Auxiliary Park Board members Karen Russell and Linda Darrock with
Robin and Crystal at Theisens Home and Farm Store in Newton, Iowa being
presented with the Yo-Ho tools purchased with a grant from Yeoman & Company
of Monticello, Iowa in conjunction with the Keep Iowa Beautiful program.
The tools will be used to help maintain Colfax's Quarry Springs Park.
Even though the park has opened, we still need volunteers to continue working on projects & operating the park. Please contact us to get involved or join us Saturday mornings at 9 am for work days.
Colfax North Park Website
The Park & Auxiliary Board is proud to announce the grand opening of their new website: www.colfaxnorthpark.com on February 2nd, 2016. The Jasper County Tribune published an article in the newspaper featuring the new website: http://www.jaspercountytribune.com/2016/02/08/colfax-north-park-launches-website/aeob4dn/?t=Colfax+North+Park+launches+website
A special thanks to the promotions committee team of Connor Jones, Danae Edwards, Maranda Case, and Patrick Utz to deliver a site the community can go to for more information.
Work + Fish Days
Our most popular program to date has been "work in the morning, fish in the afternoon" days. All of our Board members continue to be questioned about "when will the park open" and in particular, "when do we get to fish?"
Starting in October, we offered our Saturday Volunteers the opportunity to help work mornings in the park and then enjoy fishing the same afternoon. Several have taken us up on it and had lots of fun doing both. Weather permitting, we may offer it again in December with hopes of opening the park on a limited basis early in 2016. Check back here for updates.
Master Plan
Des Moines-based landscape architectural design firm Confluence has been hired to draft a master plan for our outdoor recreational facility at the former Martin Marietta, Inc. rock and sand quarry in Colfax.
The designs by Confluence will be a more definitive version of the conceptual designs created by Iowa State University landscape architectural students in early 2015. The firm was hired using funds donated to the park board for land reclamation and park use by Martin Marietta at the time of the property donation.
The master plan will take six to seven months to develop and will include collecting data about the 480-acres, site mapping, and elevations. The planning will also take into account amenity demands from surrounding communities, park concepts, conceptual design finalization and a final cost estimate.
A steering committee has been created to work with Confluence. See October 2015 Park Board meeting minutes for more details.
REAP Grant
The City of Colfax has been awarded $53,000 in REAP funding to repair, grade, seed, and fence 800 feet of highly eroded shoreline in its 480 acre north park. It will repair the 8-foot vertical embankments north of the two storage buildings and an additional 1,000 ft of shoreline along the entry road into the park. Work also includes removing undesirable trees on the entryway road and are scheduled for removal with the REAP grant funds.
Partnering with Beck's
Beck's Hybrids is the largest family owned seed retailer in the US. They serve farmers across the midwest and are currently building a $15 million dollar seed distribution and retail office in Colfax, Iowa. The Park & Aux board has come to an agreement to lease storage space to Beck's for their equipment and will help generate revenue for the park towards its operations and projects.
The park board has leased approximately 70 acres of land on the north side of the park for test plots.
Building Repair & Removal
The Colfax North Park had several buildings onsite when it was given to the city of Colfax under direction of the Colfax Park & Aux Board. Repairs were made to the West pole building, which is slated to be rented to Beck's. Work includes new doors, general building repairs, and electricity added from Dickerson Mechanical of Colfax.
The East pole building was in rough shape. It was not insurable with the condition it was in and it was decided to tear it down. Volunteers have been working on this project for several work days in the fall of 2015.
There is a block building on the park that needed some roof repairs. The roof has been repaired and other items continue to get completed on the building to be used for use by the park board.
Mid-American Energy has reconnected electrical on all of the buildings and street lights are now installed.
Jasper County Fair
The Colfax North Park wanted to promote the park. They organized some events during the Jasper County Fair including: a float in the parade passing out mini frisbees, gave tours of the park, and a booth at the fair grounds; all to help promote the park. An addiitonal promotion was a contest to help brainstorm names for the park. A $200 award was granted to the best name, which was "Spring City Park". An official name of the park has yet to be determined and will come at a later date.