What's going on at the Capaha Park Rose Garden

Renovations to the Rose Garden in Capaha Park in Cape Girardeau began Monday, Oct. 31. The work is part of the five-phase Capaha Park Master Plan from the Parks and Recreation Department to improve the historic city park.

Most of the work will help to make the park more accessible for disabled patrons and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. This will include doing dirt work to level off the area in and around the garden, adding a parking spot and putting in a new sidewalk, among other things. New flower beds will also be added.

From there, Brock Davis, parks manager, said essentially everything will be put back in as it was before. Around $50,000 has been dedicated to the project, but Davis said he doesn't anticipate needing all of the funding.

"We're trying to keep it simple and keep (down) maintenance costs," he said.

The Rose Garden was officially established in Capaha in 1954. It was nationally accredited as a Rose Garden Display the next year. It has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the State Achievement Award.

The garden is a partnership among the community, Career and Technology Center and Parks and Rec.

Davis said he expects the work to be completed in time for planting season in the spring, which begins in March.