From staff reports
The Knox Civic Club has received a $100,000 grant from the McElhattan Foundation.
The money will be used to improve the safety and security of Knox Community Park, known by locals as Peanut Park.
The park is owned and maintained by the Knox Civic Club. The land was purchased in 1920.
A large pavilion was built by Wilbur Johnson and completed in 1955 using a unique split ring construction. Numerous additions and upgrades have taken place with the help of community volunteers.
The most recent addition, a Tiny Library, was added by Rebecca Lander in 2021 as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award project.
The McElhattan family’s roots are in Knox and Franklin, and they are committed to seeing those communities thrive.
Knox Community Park needs repairs and updates above the normal yearly maintenance due to age, use and vandalism.
Phase 1 of the work will focus on fixing issues caused by poor property drainage and addressing causes within the park.
Plans also include an overall inspection, repair and as-needed replacements to current playground equipment. This includes the replacement of swing seats, plastic/wooden borders, painting/rust removal, fixing the chain-link fences and gates, the addition of protective play surfacing and updates to the restroom.
Along with the investment from the McElhattan Foundation, the Knox Civic Club is launching a capital campaign to garner community support for ongoing costs associated with maintaining the historic park and for new additions.
The club meets at 7 p.m. on the third Monday of each month at Edenburg Presbyterian Church, 405 Main St., Knox. New members are welcome to join the club.
More information about the Knox park project is available by calling or texting Melissa Fulton at (814) 221-1495 or emailing melissafulton79@gmail.com.
For more local news, visit TheClarionNews.com.