|
A caboose that used to sit near the junction of North Main Street and U.S. 27 in Nicholasville will soon be at the entrance of Riney B. Park. (Photo courtesy George Dean / February 6, 2013) |
Soon, a caboose will sit in the entrance of Riney B Park, located at 300 Martin Luther King Blvd.
Jessamine County magistrate George Dean pitched that idea to the Nicholasville City Commission during a special-called meeting Monday, and city leaders gave their approval.
“You may recall in 2010, I helped get a steam engine and a caboose put on display at Riney B. Park,” Dean said. “Last fall, I acquired another caboose for High Bridge Park and about that time, Clay Corman called me and said that Mrs. (Leta) Collins had left a caboose up where the antique shop used to be (off the north junction near Sutherland Chevrolet). He asked me where we wanted to put it — he’s donating it to us as well.”
Dean said one of his reasons for putting the Collins Caboose at the entrance of Riney B is to give the park more visibility.
“I don’t know how many times you all have tried to tell somebody how to get to Riney B. Park, but it’s hard,” Dean said. “For some reason, when they top that hill, they miss the sign. I think the caboose will catch everybody’s attention and everybody’s eye.”
Before the caboose is relocated to the park’s entrance, Dean said there is some restoration work that needs to be done.
“It’s been (at the antique store) for quite a while, and the siding needs to be replaced and the roof needs some work,” Dean said. “We would have to remove all the siding and replace that. I’ve got some funds committed from the Nicholasville Tourism Commission and funds from Destination Jessamine and (Clay) Corman is going to donate some funds.”
Dean said parks and recreation director Duane McCuddy said his employees could also perform much of the work needed to be done.
“The labor will be in-kind, so we’re going to do it without any expense to the taxpayers,” Dean said.
Nicholasville streets superintendent Gary Goldey asked the city commission to include a maintenance agreement in the formal paperwork accepting the caboose.
Mayor Russ Meyer said that Nicholasville-Jessamine County Parks and Recreation would handle the maintenance.
“(Parks and recreation) is funded through the city and the county, so the split is there anyway,” Meyer said.
Dean said the caboose will be relocated to the park’s entrance in the spring.
