Phase I of the Steamboat Landing playground at Drake Harbor was completed in October 2022. When a community survey revealed that there was a desire to enlarge the playground and add a bathroom, Warsaw resident Rick Bibb offered to donate a dollar for every dollar donated by the community for the project up to $300,000. So far, the community has raised $243,385, including $143,000 from the City of Warsaw, and the Bibb family has matched it. On May 7, the City of Warsaw broke ground on the expansion to the Steamboat playground and the building of modern, year-round, flushing restrooms at Drake Harbor.
“After a year of FUNdraising projects, we are close enough to our goal to break ground,” said Randy Pogue, City Administrator and Planner. “We still have $56,000 to raise before we can complete the project. Weather permitting, construction will be underway soon. The completion date is up in the air depending on how long it takes for us to raise the remaining money to finish the project.”
Volunteer fundraising efforts are being led by Bonnie Wall, who noted that major donors present at the groundbreaking were Rick Bibb, Carmen Mantonya of Hawthorn Bank, Lions Club President Loren Whetsell, Kevin Dockery and Sean Dockery of Ozark Disposal, Toby Bolender of the Marine Corps League, Chuck Allcorn of the Warsaw Shrine Club and Mayor Eddie Simons.
Wall said that to raise more funds there is a current Wenig Custom Stock Ruger 10/22 Gun Raffle. The gun is made from Special Selection English Walnut and is valued at $3,673. Raffle tickets are at Sportsman’s Outfitters, the American Legion and the Warsaw City Office. Coming up is a four-person scramble Play Golf for the Playground tournament on June 7 at Shawnee Bend, a Texas Hold’em Tournament hosted by the Knights of Columbus on July 19, and a Trapshooting competition at the American Legion later in the summer.
“We are asking the public to support these upcoming fundraisers and to also pitch in with tax-deductible donations,” said Wall. “A check can be dropped off at the city office or mailed to the ‘City of Warsaw – Playground’ at 201 W. Main Street, Warsaw 63555. Every dollar counts and is matched by the Bibb family! Please help us reach our goal.”
https://warsawmo.gov details what is to be accomplished at the playground in Phase II. It will continue the river boat theme from Phase I and will have over 27 imaginative play activities highlighted with an impactful color scheme offering a rich partnership with the historic past of Warsaw’s Osage River Heritage, and the required social behavioral, physical skill, and communal activity development of today’s children. Some of the items for imaginative play activities include a Hover Net with custom spoonbill fish-themed climbers, multi person swings, various style of log climbers and stepping pods, buddy rocker, Mini City Community Helpers log cabin themed playhouse with a fish crawl tunnel, custom boat themed spring rider, custom log/rock themed ADA transfer point, Big Kahuna Bridge/climber, custom Mushroom Step/climber, and custom Frog Climber.
