The final $128,000 for the restoration of the Chippewa Park Carousel horses is coming from the city.
City Council decided Monday night that on top of the $72,000 they previously set aside for the Friends of Chippewa Park, they will provide the rest of funds needed for the work on the horses.
Westfort Councillor Kristen Oliver was one supporter of getting the work finished quickly. “There is concern that if we waited until budget and it wasn’t approved or ratified until February, and we left everybody in limbo, that it may jeopardize the continuation of the project.”
Parks Manager Cory Halvorsen explains Council’s support was crucial to make sure the work can be done before one of the vendors involved in the restoration leaves town. He says they are at somewhat of a “critical point,” and their goal is to get the remaining horses finished in time for the carousel to open in May.
Their original contribution totaled $200,000 which allowed the project to get another $100,000 from other levels of government.
This brings the city’s direct contributions to $400,000, while the Friends of Chippewa Park’s fundraising campaign brought in $75,000 from the community.
