Knox City Council Members Approve Donation Toward Serenity Garden Project

Knox City Council
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council agreed to donate funds to build a gazebo for the Serenity Garden project.

Knox High School students will be planting trees, flowers, and other plants in the green space at the corner of Lake and Main Streets in the downtown area. Don White, who is a member of the Starke County Economic Development Board of Directors, presented the council members with an idea for a sturdier structure for a gazebo at that location.

White proposed to construct the gazebo using split block, concrete, and wood rafters. He used a picture of the gazebo at the Eagle Creek Community Church as a reference when describing the proposed structure. A red metal roof will top the gazebo.

White suggested getting the welding students involved by helping to weld the brackets needed to stabilize the gazebo at Serenity Garden.

The labor for the concrete work has been donated, and other labor for the project has also been donated. White donated his labor for the roofing.

The final cost would be $6,000. Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Charles Weaver said the organization would donate $3,000 if the city would pick up the other half.

The city council unanimously approved a donation of $3,000 to come from riverboat money line item in the budget, which is not taxpayer money.

Project leader John Poindexter told the council that the students will install the benches and tables beginning May 9. There will be three Saturdays when the students will be putting all of the components together. With all fundraising efforts, Poindexter said about $10,000 has been raised to purchase items needed for the garden.