“It’s starting to look like a park again.”
Knox Park Superintendent George Byer says the cleanup at Wythogan Park is nearing completion, and the park is almost clear enough to allow visitors once again. With brush pickup said to be roughly two-thirds complete, and the cleanup of trees and hanging branches almost halfway complete, Byer says the park doesn’t look so much like a disaster area anymore.
“The park is looking great compared to what it was here a month ago,” Byer said. “It takes time to clean up a disaster like we’ve got. I think we’re moving along very well with it.”
Knox Mayor Rick Chambers said the city received a check from their insurance carrier for damages to Wythogan Park. The city has received $94,645.21 to be used for repairs, but the insurance company has decided to hold $7536 until all park equipment has been purchased.
Chambers said he is hopeful that the park can be cleared enough for the barricades to be removed on Friday, opening the park once more to visitors; however, he says this is all hinging on the outcome of the final inspection.
Byer says the majority of work remaining consists of removing the branches dangling from treetops, the remaining brush on the ground, and the dead or dying trees. After that, he says, the only major item left will be to deal with the removal of many stumps.
