(Atlantic, Iowa) – Members of the City of Atlantic’s Park Advisory Board, today (Wednesday) approved a request by Frank Saddlemire, on behalf of the Disc Golf Club, to plant 11 trees in the area around the course at Sunnyside Park, plus one very unique tree in an area of the park to be determined.

Saddlemire said last year the group spent $600 and planted several trees. This year, they purchased 12 trees from in a clearance aisle with about 100 trees at the TimberPine Nursery & Greenhouse near Earlham, for $1,000.

He provided the Board with a map where they would like to plant the trees, including in the southeast corner of the Camblin Addition, and an area around a culvert near the fairgrounds, to name a few locations. One of the trees the Disc Golf Club is donating to the park, is the Dawn Redwood, which has its origins in China.  That single tree was in the nursery’s clearance aisle, and it’s no small sapling.

One possible location is near the Camblin Shelter. Another is near Sunnyside Park Bandshell. The Dawn Redwood was thought to have been extinct for at least 20-million years, but according to the Save the Redwoods League, in 1944, a Chinese forester found an enormous dawn redwood shedding its leaves in the Sichuan province of China.

The 11 trees will be planted next Spring. Meanwhile, they will remain in the nursery’s care until then. In other business, Board Chair Kevin Ferguson said the Atlantic Junior Federate Club has all the money needed that’s been pledged, for a new sign at the entrance to the Bull Creek and the placard they would like to attach.  Ferguson said Junior Federated representative Jamie Joyce will submit a rendering of the placard for the Board to review.

Atlantic Parks Board 10-23-24

The Atlantic Parks Advisory Commission will hold a Special Meeting Oct. 30th at 3:30-p.m., to consider ideas for 2025, and discuss matters they spoke about during the Oct. 23rd meeting.