Knox still picking up the pieces after huge storm

KNOX, Ind. -- It has been a week since storms and straight line winds ripped through Knox. Now the Park Board President is pleading for funds to help repair one of Knox’s largest and most used parks, Wythogan Park.

The park is currently closed, because there are over 50 trees down and hundreds more dangerously hanging. The Park Board President says they just do not have the funds to clean it up which is putting a wrench in Knox’s summer festivals.

“It costs us about a thousand dollars for a large tree to take it all the way down, hall the wood off, grind the stump and move on. You can multiply that maybe into the hundreds on this park," said Knox Park Board President Kurt Snearly.

Snearly said he needs at least $100,000 to clean up Wythogan Park. But Knox’s small budget can’t cover it.

“We are truly trying to negotiate every possible avenue we have in order to get some money for this," said Snearly.

One of those avenues includes trying to enlist Congressman Joe Donnelly.

“Federal and state funding is process so it would take time," said Donnelly.

Time, Knox just does not have. It was set to host the Harvest Festival at the park the last weekend in August.

“It’s not going to be down here anymore which was sad for a lot of us, because we were excited to show off a park that we have been putting a lot of work in over the years," said Donnelly.

Instead the festival is being moved downtown. Snearly says festival or not this park still needs to be cleaned up quickly, because it is just too dangerous.

“These trees are what can be referred to as widow makers. They will fall down and even small limbs coming from a good height could kill you," said Snearly.

Snearly also says he has had a flood of calls from Knox neighbors volunteering to help clean up, but it is just too dangerous to let anyone, but the professionals inside.

But this weekend, volunteers are being asked to clean up other parts of the city.