Oakes, ND (NewsDakota.com) – “We are standing in the middle of what, at one point, was just a big dream,” Rebecca Undem began on Tuesday June 17th on stage of the brand new park in the heart of downtown Oakes, UNION SQUARE, “Union Square represents everything that Oakes stands for: hope collaboration, audacity, and grit.”

She spoke these words to a large crowd of community members who had gathered for the dedication of Union Square, a park 3 years in the making and put together by members of the town. The park is located right in the middle of the 500 block of downtown right in between Sweets and Stories and Prairie Printing. What was at one point an empty lot is now a park with a beautiful picnic area, brick layed paths with patio, a large grass area, fencing, a stage, and landscaping. This is all flanked by two giant murals on the walls of the neighboring buildings.

Undem recognized 7 key groups who helped make the park possible including the Chamber Board who she says was the group that had voted to take on the project and spearhead funding and organaization. They will also be the group maintaining the park. The 2022 board was Keri Schall, Katie Gebhardt, Nicole Cline, Heather Roney, Anthony Bruhn, Michelle Schroeder, Jonda Praska, Cari Haugen, Dustin Maier, and Kausha Magill. The current board is: Haley Moen, Hope Kenney, Heather Roney, Haylee O’Brien, Katie Gebhardt, Jessica Savey, Sarah Halmrast, Brittany Jorgenson, Mary Saunter, and Kausha Magill.

The 2nd group recognized was a couple Boy Scouts who had Eagle Scout projects go into the park. Rhett Miller’s project included the paver patio and walkways and his team included Phillip Homan and crew, Bob Miller Tom Rodine, Jeremiah Undem, Ben and Grant Wagner, Cooper Quandt, Chris Schmit, Bob Schaefer, Darrin Hagar, Brogan Roney, Heather Roney, Jeeremy Sitzler, Meagan Miller, and Jillian Miller.  Micah Malmberg’s project included the fencing. His team included Bob Schaefer, Mark Malmberg, Malen Malmberg, Levi Nagel and Stacy Barber.

The 3rd group was 3 distinct Girl Scouts who had Gold Award Projects. Mallory Domine’s project was the landscaping. Her team included Doug Sitzler, Philip Homan, Travis Ulmer of Paul Bunyan Nurseries, Aspen Sitzler, and Rebecca Undem. Molly Sitzler’s project was building the stage and her team was Steve and LuAnn Anderson, Jeremy Sitzler, Tim Sitzler, Jerry Hollingsworth, Matt O’Brien, Tanner Zetocha, Simon Maddock, and Allie Lynch. Megan Miller’s project was building the seating with Tanner Zetocha, Doug Sitzler, Carter Ptacek, Bob Miller, and Kausha Magill.

The 4th group was all of the financial donors who accepted the invitation many of which included businesses. The interesting part was no business was solicited to donate but rather individuals were the one’s to recieve the call. The 5th group also included businesses and others who were the In-Kind Donors.

The 6th group was the Active Arts Club who helped support commissioned work of the murals in the park, designed, and installed by Fargo Artist Lauren Starling. They also helped secure a grant on the park’s behalf.

The 7th group included any group that provided money via grants including Oakes Enhancement, Inc., Oakes Lions Club, Garrison Diversion, Oakes American Legion, Oakes Community Foundation, and Dakota Valley Electric.

All in all there were over 200 individuals of the Oakes community to help put the park together. This included thousand’s of hours of work and just under $165,000.

Immediately following the dedication blue grass band Kohlrabi Soup took to the stage to start what was the first of many future concerts that are destined to come to downtown Oakes.