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Kiwanis proposes quarterly 'Story Walk' at Patton Young park, offers funding and content help
Summary
Mitchell Kiwanis Club proposed a 'story walk' at Patton Young park to encourage outdoor reading; Kiwanis offered to fund and build panels (estimated cost $7,500 cushion), and asked city staff to handle installation and quarterly maintenance.
The Mitchell Kiwanis Club proposed installing a rotating "story walk" at Patton Young Park to encourage children to read outdoors and to promote library circulation.
Julie Hartshutti, speaking for Kiwanis, said the club is prepared to pay for and assemble the story panels and suggested quarterly swaps of the book panels, with Dakota Wesleyan's Education Department or the public library assisting with content. "Kiwanis is willing to put that together... We will pay for that," Hartshutti said, noting Madison's comparable installation cost about $5,000 and proposing a local cushion of $7,500.
Hartshutti said Kiwanis would seek durable, vandal-resistant mounts and would explore QR codes and audio versions (including Spanish translations) to improve accessibility. Staff raised maintenance and placement questions (mulch, mower clearance) and advised against siting the panels at locations that experience repeated vandalism.
The board responded positively and asked staff to pursue a formal proposal with installation details and a plan for ongoing maintenance and content rotation.
Kiwanis plans to pursue the idea and return with a formal proposal and mounting options if the city indicates support.
