Groundbreaking for stormwater improvements at Dickerson Park Zoo - 2 p.m., Dec. 7

For Immediate Release: Dec. 6, 2010

The City of Springfield and Springfield-Greene County Park Board will host a groundbreaking at 2 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 7, at Dickerson Park Zoo, 3043 N. Fort Ave., for the third in a series of Lake, Waterway and Stream Improvement projects in historic parks.

The event will be held near the Zoo\'s lake. Media and visitors can park in the visitor lots and enter the grounds at the gate just west of the visitor\'s center main entrance.

The $592,000 Dickerson Park Zoo waterway improvements will improve lake water quality and aesthetics by stabilizing banks and re-vegetation, improving water runoff quality from animal exhibits and reducing flooding. The project includes the installation of rain gardens and water basins, plus the replacement of a pedestrian bridge over the creek that runs through the Zoo. Funding for the project is provided by the 2006 County-wide Parks Sales Tax.

All of the six Lake, Waterway and Stream improvement projects share a strong focus on sustainability and protection of the natural water environment. The first two projects underway in this series are at Fassnight and Sequiota Parks. Future projects are planned for Doling Park, Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Parks, and the Ward Branch Greenway.

The timeline of this project was planned so as to minimize the impact on the operation of the Zoo and those who visit the Zoo. The Zoo will remain open to visitors at all times throughout construction. Work is scheduled for completion by Fall 2011. The contractor is Herion Construction. The consulting engineer is Olsson/Scott Engineering. More information, including photos, can be found on the project website.

For more information, contact: Todd Wagner, City of Springfield Stormwater Engineer, (417) 864-1901.

Mike Brothers
Department of Public Information
City of Springfield
Office: (417) 864-1119
Fax: (417) 864-1114
mbrothers@springfieldmo.gov