Park upgrades coming soon to Cape

Cape Girardeau's parks department is upgrading in a significant way, with expansions coming very soon to the public.

The department is currently focusing on Capaha Park, a speed slide at Cape Splash and the Red House Interpretive Center.

Capaha Park will receive a new playground and pavilion that holds 100, from which the playground is easily visible. The new playground will cater to diverse ages, as one section will is suited for children between 2 and 5 years old, and another will accommodate children up to 12. The weather has pushed back expected completion, but when completed, park-goers will likely find it worth the wait. Among other advancements, new sidewalks will be a welcome improvement; the flatter surfaces will make it easier to bring children in strollers and those in wheelchairs to the park.

Rainy weather has delayed completion of these upgrades, as well as the much-anticipated completion of the speed slide at Cape Splash, but they are coming soon. Stay tuned for those dates.

Future improvements are also in the planning stages. Sometimes, really hot summer days leave us wanting to get wet but not necessarily splashing around in a pool full with people. The department has a plan for that, too; its park improvements will include a refreshing splash pad. Restrooms and pond improvements are being considered.

The Red House is slated to build a Beehive Oven, among several upgrades. Paul Nenninger, co-chairman of the Red House Interpretive Center Board, described the oven as a dome-shaped structure around which communities used to gather to bake. "We're going to build a kind of primitive shed to be true to the time frame of around the 1800s," he told the Southeast Missourian. The new oven is an innovative way to combine history and progress. In keeping with the historical theme, Red House also expects to build an ox cart and wooden stocks, used in Cape Girardeau into the 1800s.

These projects are just the beginning; the department is committed to continued progress. An online survey will allow people to weigh in on the city's parks, expressing likes, dislikes and wish lists. Make your voice heard by taking the survey at 2015parksandrecsurvey.org, starting July 1, or pick one up at the parks and recreation department offices.

The parks are giving people of all ages and interests opportunities to get out and be active. Our parks are a big part of our culture in Cape. It's good to see new projects emerging.