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Kiwanis Club to plant trees and install StoryWalk in Patton Young Park; board approves placement
Summary
The Mitchell Kiwanis Club told the parks board it purchased six trees to plant on Arbor Day and will fund a 20‑station StoryWalk at Patton Young Park; the board voted to approve placement and asked staff to finalize siting and pad sizes.
Linda McEntee, president of the Mitchell Kiwanis Club, told the Parks and Recreation Board the club has set aside funds — about $1,000 this year for trees and roughly $6,500 from a past half‑marathon for a StoryWalk — and plans Arbor Day plantings and a permanent StoryWalk installation in Patton Young Park.
Jean Patrick, children’s services librarian at the Mitchell Public Library, said a StoryWalk places pages of a book in weather‑resistant frames along a trail so families read while they walk. Kiwanis proposed 20 stations (about 10 on each side of a path) to accommodate modern children’s books of about 40 pages. The Future Teachers group at Dakota Wesleyan will rotate interactive activities and change the book quarterly.
The board voted to approve the StoryWalk placement. Kiwanis will pay for the frames and panel changes; the city will pour concrete pads and install mounting bolts. Board and staff discussed spacing, accessibility (heights for wheelchair users), irrigation heads, snow‑removal clearance and laminated panels to reduce condensation. Staff will mark proposed locations and return to the board with exact placement before installation.
In public comment, McEntee said Kiwanis also bought six trees for Arbor Day — two Fiesta maples, two lindens and two elm varieties — mostly 10–12 feet tall (two 20‑gallon and four 15‑gallon specimens); the club asked the city to dig holes and coordinate placement so the trees do not conflict with disc golf or irrigation.
The board approved the StoryWalk placement by voice vote and asked staff to work with Kiwanis on siting and pad specifications before orders are placed and installation occurs.
