Ribbon cutting hosted for new story walk at the Norfolk Public Library

NORFOLK, Neb. -- Norfolk Public Library and the Parks and Recreation Department joined together to hold a ribbon cutting at Warren Cook Park.

In an effort to educate and encourage children to get outside, the new story walk in the park contains panels that have stories that will be switched out monthly.

Nathan Powell, parks and recreation director, said the park, as of now, contains a grass area and a story walk, but plans are in place for additional activities in the park.

“The future plans is to get a playground installed here," Powell said. "The timeline on that is to actually start this fall to get that built and, hopefully, have it open by spring, that’d be the goal here.”

Powell said the department plans on installing lights for evenings and, though it is not fully funded, the master plan includes a performing arts stage on the other side of the park.

The storywalk trail began after funds from the 2018 build project were left over from the library.

“The idea of the story walk trail started here at the library with the staff. They planted the seed and got the plan rolling," Powell said. "They had some additional funds leftover from the build project for the library and they were able to put that money towards this project, towards the story walk trail.”

The trail is estimated to cost about $127,000 and will be around 800 feet in length.