ARBORETUM IS LATEST OF COUNTY PARK JEWELS

An arboretum in Cape Girardeau County's North Park will become the latest in a progression of improvements in both the North and South county parks that have transformed them over the past three decades into a showpiece along U.S. 61.

The mile-long path currently being built across a field will lead to and meander through a new arboretum, which will be planted in the fall. The arboretum -- a place where trees are grown for exhibition and study -- will be a lovely addition to the park and unique to the area.

The Missouri Conservation Department and county have jointly undertaken the project. Initial plans are to plant up to 200 trees of 100 species and leave the existing trees. The trees will be labeled to identify the species.

The arboretum eventually will provide a spot for a quiet, shaded walk and a place to identify the trees that commonly grow in Missouri. It will be the kind of place that teachers will want to take their students to see and study trees and know the kinds they are looking at. Park benches, shrubs and other plants will be added to enhance the arboretum.

The North and South county parks offer excellent facilities for walking. A three-quarter-mile nature trail was added to the north park a couple of years ago, and the south park contains a quarter-mile wheelchair-accessible trail. The road that surrounds the larger of two lakes in the north park and the road around the lake in the south park also make for good places to walk.

There are many other recreational facilities in the parks. The lakes offer fishing. The roads are a safe place for bicycling. Spacious, clean pavilions provide excellent picnicking facilities. And there is plenty of playground equipment for youngsters.

The Missouri Conservation Department building was a nice addition to the North Park as was the memorial to war veterans. The hundreds of American flags in tribute to deceased veterans that surround the memorial and line the main road through the park on Memorial Day weekends is breathtaking. And there are plans for a new nature center.

Few counties in Missouri have parks, much less parks with the types of facilities Cape Girardeau County's have. County commissions for 30 years have made development of the parks a priority, and it is obvious to everyone who travels U.S. 61 between the two parks. They not only offer a pleasant place to spend some relaxation time but beautiful entryway to Cape Girardeau.