Live music, balloons, turn-of-the-century games and ice cream’free ice cream’promise to make Clarkston’s annual Labor Day Picnic fun for the whole family.
‘This is our summer celebration for the community, the city’s way of saying ‘thank you? to our residents,? said Kristy Ottman, city councilwoman and picnic chair. ‘And it’s a chance for people to get together, get reacquainted with their neighbors.?
This year, the Clarkston Historical Society will also take part in the event as the city celebrates its 175th anniversary.
The Clark Buggy, which belonged to pioneers Jeremiah and Nelson Clark, will be on hand for viewing, and old photos will also be on display.
The Clarkston Community Band is scheduled to perform, as well, and a special dedication of the park’s new bridge will also take place during the picnic.
Mayor Sharron Catallo and long-time Clarkston resident Barbara Thomson will wield the scissors in a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Installation of the bridge, which crosses the river between gazebo and children’s play area, is now complete.
‘This community is incredible,? said resident Gini Schultz, who, along with husband Jim, spearheaded the bridge effort and raised about $50,000 to pay for the undertaking.
‘If you take on a project, they’ll help you get it done. I didn’t accomplish anything; the people in the community accomplished this by donating to the bridge. It’s incredible, I’m thrilled.?
Distinctive Landscapes, said Schultz, donated a large portion of the labor and materials for four raised beds for landscaping around the bridge.
Wojo’s Greenhouse, along with Clarkston resident George White, provided flowers and plants for the beds.
The steel-constructed bridge was manufactured in Greenly, Colorado, said Schultz, and has a lifespan of about 50 years. The decking is a Brazilian wood with a 30-year life span.
And, in keeping with the Clarkston Watershed Group’s ideals for the park, pavers used in the approach are environmentally friendly ? each contains a center ‘diamond? filled with topsoil and planted with grass seed. The grass will eventually grow to cover the pavers, creating an absorptive surface that still provides stability for wheelchairs and the like while also preventing runoff.
Clarkston’s 175th anniversary picnic takes place in downtown Clarkston’s Depot Park from 12-4 Sunday, Sept. 2. The bridge dedication begins at 2 p.m.