Barnett Park project gets under way

The uncommon sight of a motor boat at Barnett Park is part of cleanup efforts in the first phase of a pond improvement project.

The cooperative program to clean up the ponds at Barnett Park began Wednesday when the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and several local entities began removing fish from the ponds.

City employees and offenders from the Work Ethic Camp worked through the day and hope to be finished removing the dead fish from the ponds today, said Marty Conroy, McCook public works director.

Officials from Nebraska Game and Parks Commission administered a chemical into the water Wednesday at about 11 a.m. which depleted the oxygen supply to the fish. The crews began the clean up efforts at around 1:30 p.m.

The next step in the project will be to pump and dredge the ponds to increase depth and bank stabilization.

Once the project is completed, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has said it will restock the ponds with a variety of game fish in 2004.

Much of the work on the project will be done by students in Educational Service Unit 15, which received a grant through the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund. The city agreed to provide in kind services in lieu of cash and is hoping to receive more assistance from the McCook Work Ethic Camp.