Boys and Girl’s Club of Detroit Lakes to construct $730,000 playground; expected to be complete before September

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – The Boys and Girls Club of Detroit Lakes will begin construction of a $730,000 playground at Lyle Crovisier Memorial Park, near their location on the north side of the city.

Members of the city council released $100,000 in previously approved funds for the project and approved an additional $75,000 for the park at the request of the Boys and Girls Club during their regular meeting on June 13.

Patrick Petermann, executive director for the Boys and Girls Club of Detroit Lakes, said, once the funding is approved, construction is going to start pretty quickly.

“(The contractor) wants to do the fittings on Friday and pour next week,” said Petermann, during the meeting. “The playground will be delivered the week of July 31, with an Aug. 28 completion date and ribbon cutting ceremony.”

Ron Zeman, alderman first ward, said kids on the northside of town have been waiting almost 30 years for a park of their own.

“The kids on the northside have been waiting almost 30 years for this now and it’s certainly something that is well needed and we’ve all been hoping for something like this,” said Zeman, during the meeting. “I appreciate the sponsorships from the people. I’m glad that the city is able to give $50,000 twice, for $100,000. I’m just excited for every kid on the northside is finally going to have a park.” 

The city will provide the Boys and Girl’s Club with $50,000 from the park dedication fund and $50,000 from the city’s American Rescue Plan Act allotment. The additional $75,000 approved by the city council during the meeting will be allocated from the city’s general equipment fund.

Zeman also requested the Detroit Lakes Liquor and Gambling committee look at providing additional funds to the playground construction in coming months.

Petermann said they expect construction to be complete and the ribbon to be cut on the new playground before school starts in September.

Victim and driver identified in vehicle-pedestrian crash near Lake Ida

A fatal crash involving a pedestrian and a vehicle occurred in the early morning hours on Sunday near Lake Ida.

According to the Becker County Sheriff’s Office, on June 18 at 4:04 a.m., emergency dispatchers received a call from a woman who said she possibly hit someone with her vehicle who was laying in the middle of the roadway on County Road 4, near the intersection at Dahlgren Beach Road in Lake Park Township.

Upon arrival, first responders pronounced the victim, 29-year-old Hunter Duane Standfield of Dilworth, dead at the scene.

The driver of the vehicle was identified as 32-year-old Samantha Mary Qualley of Lake Park

The incident remains under an active investigation.

Perham bank employee inducted into Pioneer Bankers Club by Minnesota Banking Association

A member of United Community Bank in Perham was officially inducted into the Pioneer Banker Club by the Minnesota Banking Association, which celebrates a bank employee who has worked in Minnesota banks for more than 50 years.

Betty Van Watermulen began working at Perham State Bank in April 1972, which would eventually become United Community Bank.

In a news release, Charlie Cavanagh, president of United Community Bank, said not many people have as deep of a connection to a community like Betty does. Adding, she has probably helped tens of thousands of people with their banking needs over the course of her 51 years of service.

The news release also states: “United Community Bank is proud of Betty and the many accomplishments she has achieved throughout her career at UCB. We want to formally thank Betty for her years serving the community of Perham, the lakes area, and all the customers she has helped over the years.”

Van Watermulen will be the 198th inductee into the Minnesota Banking Association’s Pioneer Banker Club since the program’s inception.

DL Library receives $42k for building exterior maintenance

The Detroit Lakes Public Library is going to be receiving some renovations to its artisan exterior following approval from the Detroit Lakes city council on June 13.

Terry Kalil, chair of the Detroit Lakes Public Library endowment fund and president of the Lake Agassiz Regional Library Board, said, during a cleaning of the library this year, contractors noticed the friezes, a decorative design element in the building’s exterior, had flaking paint.

“We had the building cleaned this year as part of a cost sharing with the city and as part of that when they cleaned the friezes, the paint flaked off,” said Kalil, during the meeting. “And the paint, of course, is lead being that it was applied in 1912 and it’s never been painted since.”

She also said to repaint the friezes is going to require a special process to seal the lead-based paint, so they can be painted over. She said the frieze sealing and painting should cost about $42,000.

“(A contractor) did the work and … their conclusion was it was beyond their scope,” she said. “The friezes have to be treated specially to seal them before they can be painted, and they referred us to two painters.”

She also pointed out the Lake Agassiz Regional Library manages the staff and services for the building while the library’s endowment fund only pays for equipment, fixtures and repairs beyond normal maintenance of the building. Adding, the exterior painting should be considered a normal maintenance cost and covered by the city.

Members of the Detroit Lakes city council voted unanimously to approve the frieze sealing, painting and maintenance costs with the funds coming from the city’s permanent improvement fund.

Fergus Falls Veterans Home to celebrate 25 years on June 24

The Fergus Falls Veterans Home with be celebrating its 25th anniversary on Saturday, June 24 following the Stars and Stripes parade in Fergus Falls.

The facility opened its doors for the first time in 1998 and, during the ceremony on Saturday, many current and former employees and residents will be thanked for keeping the veterans home going all through the years.

In a Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs news release, Jonathan Stone, administrator for the Fergus Fall Veterans Home, said 14 of his employees have worked at the home for all 25 years that it has been open, which shows the commitment of their employees to serve area veterans and consistency in the care provided by the facility.

He also said their organization provides veterans with more than 250 activities and events each year to ensure veterans under their care are living fulfilling lives and have something to look forward to each day.

The Fergus Falls Veterans Home opened a Veterans Village in 2011, which consists of two households of 10 and 11 Residents each, designed to offer medical services in a home-style atmosphere. The Veterans Village is targeted toward a communal-living situation for people with dementia to provide a familiar environment.

In 2022, the facility added 726-square-foot greenhouse to the campus for residents to grow their own produce and flowers.

The 25th anniversary formal program at the Fergus Falls Veterans Home will begin immediately following the parade on Saturday at around 10:45 a.m. A cupcake and soda bar will be setup for the attendees.

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